Duel Deck
by MikariStar
Summary: A collection of Yu-Gi-Oh! short stories, mostly humor. Most of the stories include the Kaiba brothers.
1. Card 1

I'm revising all my stories so I'll be deleting the old versions of my Yu-Gi-Oh! one-shots and posting the revised versions in this collection.

Duel Deck

Card 01: Kitty Love And Kitty Heartbreak

(Parenthesis) represent the point of view of the cats, which humans cannot understand.

(For the last 45 minutes my master has been standing on the exact same spot. His sister is talking about a rock with strange drawings on it. The rock is behind glass. Maybe that's actually her scratching post and she's upset because she can't get to it. I think my master is starting to fall asleep; listening to his sister always makes him sleepy, she must be very good at lullabies.)

(I remember when my mother sang to me at an animal city in Egypt but then master's sister took me away from my mother and siblings. I was scared at first, she said I was a birthday gift and put me in a box. It was so scary; I was just a kitten at the time. Master saved me, he got me out of the box and hugged me, he's so nice! I love my master!)

"Marik, pay attention this is a very important artifact!" Ishizu tried to keep her brother awake during her boring speech about Ancient Egypt. "There are things that every Ishtar must know. Now come, I must show you a few new artifacts that I recovered during my latest trip back to Egypt." Marik wondered why she called them artifacts and not rocks or hieroglyphics or something. Then again, he named his sphinx cat Mr. Fluffy. Ishizu stopped in front of a large door, she unlocked it but before opening it she turned around and looked at her brother. "The cat waits here."

(No! The evil sibling of my master is trying to separate us again! First she takes me away from my mother, then she puts me in a box, and now she is trying to take my master away from me! No! Master put me on the cold floor of the 'must-eat-you' I think that's what humans call this place. But now I'm not a defenseless kitten anymore, I shall go find master!)

The hairless tan sphinx cat with green eyes, ran after Marik only to be hit by the door as it was being closed by Ishizu. Of course he didn't give up; he tried to find another way to get to his master. However, he ended up going outside of the museum and getting lost in Domino city.

xoxox xox xoxox

In Kaiba Corp. Seto was working as usual when a fangirl came running into his office at the top floor Kaiba Corp. "Hi Bishie-kun! I brought you a present because you're the cutest, sweetest, nicest, yummiest bishie in the universe!" Seto blinked and stared at the odd girl. "Sorry I can't stay for too long, I promised Puzzle Boy I would help him take care of the game shop, anyway here's your gift!" Before Seto could say anything, and definitely before the fact that there was a cat sitting in his deck clawing at his important papers sunk it, the girl had already left.

Seto sat there in silence for a few seconds until the current situation sunk in. "My papers!" He quickly picked up the cat and placed her on the carpet covered floor. It was a very cute female white cat with blue eyes and fur so soft it made you want to pet her. In other words she was too cute to stay mad at. Seto petted the cat on the head and grabbed a blank sheet of paper from his desk. He made a paper ball and gave it to the cat. Soon the cat was happily playing with the paper ball and Seto was typing on his computer.

xoxox xox xoxox

(Where am I? I went too far. I don't think master's here. I better go back but I don't know the way and I can't ask for directions. The cats around here are different, they're all hairy. They're so mean to me! I wish master was here. He would defend me from those mean hairy cats, he says I'm cute. From this day on, all hairy cats will be my enemies! Hey there's a big building. If I go to the top of it I'll see the entire city and I'll be able to tell which way master is, he must be worried.)

xoxox xox xoxox

Meanwhile, at the museum Marik was crying and pointing his finger at Ishizu. "It was your fault he ran away! You where always mean to him!"

"Don't point at me Marik! Don't forget I gave you that cat in the first place. Actually I gave it to you because I couldn't afford anything better and I'm starting to regret being so cheap." Ishizu had a headache by now, from listening to his brother complaining about his beloved missing cat.

"So you admit it? You never loved him!" Marik ran out of the museum to search for Mr. Fluffy, ignoring Ishizu who kept yelling at him to stop.

xoxox xox xoxox

At Kaiba Corp. the employees where going crazy trying to catch a sphinx cat that snuck in. Their boss would not be happy if he saw the cat, and it looked as if the cat wanted to reach the top floor. Of course, since cats don't really know how elevators work he just used the stairs making it a lot harder for the employees to keep up; after all, they came to work to sit in front of computers, not to run after rampaging cats.

xoxox xox xoxox

Seto had been working for three hours in his office and needed a break. For once, he actually admitted he needed to rest, but only to himself, to the point that he waited for his new cat to fall asleep in a corner of his office before he went to get his snack. Where there are humans, there are vending machines.

By the time Seto returned, he saw three of his soon to be ex-employees in his office. "You, you and you! You're all fired!" Without giving them a chance to explain, Seto made them get out of his office and closed the door. It was a company rule that if the unauthorized foot came in contact the inferior side, commonly known as floor, of the inside of the boss's working area, usually referred to as his office, the owner of said foot would immediately became unemployed. To put it in simple terms, as Seto would say: "Set foot in my office without permission and you're fired!"

What Seto didn't know was that those employees, who where now being dragged outside by security, were only trying to get rid of the sphinx cat that managed to get in. Seto dropped his half finished bag of Cheetos on his desk and was about to resume his typing when he noticed that his fingers where orange and decided to finish his Cheetos before washing his hands, because otherwise his fingers would just become orange again.

Maybe the cat was hungry, he looked at her and saw that she was still sleeping but there was another cat there, a strange cat whose green eyes where looking right at his cat. "Hey you, who ever you are! Stop staring at Blue Eyes White Dragon... I mean Blue Eyes White Cat like that! Yes, you, are you listening to me?"

(I've never seen such a beautiful cat in my life. I take back what I said about all hairy cats being my enemies. I like her even if she's not of my kind. Maybe I should go say hello-ow! What's this? It's a small orange object. It smells like cheese and it hit me on the head! Ow! Another cheese smelling small orange object hit me on the head! It's that human, he's the one throwing those small orange objects that smell like cheese at me, he's so mean! Hey! He's going to get that cute cat. Oh, no he picked her up, I have to save her! Wait a minute... She seems to be happy that the human picked her up. Maybe that's her master.)

Seto placed his cat on the desk, picked up the green eyed, tan sphinx cat and exited his office. He pointed at a random employee and yelled, "you're fired!" Security immediately dragged the recently fired man outside. He then pointed at a secretary who was typing on a computer at the other side of the room. "You!"

The secretary jumped in surprise and accidentally swallowed her bubblegum, almost choking in the process. "Am I fired too?" Before Seto could answer she started crying.

"Actually I wasn't going to fire you, I was just going to ask you to take this sad excuse for a cat outside, but since I don't like crybabies when you take the cat outside you can stay there because you're fired!" Seto dropped the cat in her desk and walked away.

Time and again Mr. Fluffy managed to get to the top floor of Kaiba Corp. with at least half the total employees chasing him, but none fast enough to catch him. He had temporarily forgotten his master and thought only of his lady. However, when he got to the door behind which his beautiful cat lady awaited, it was always closed and he could not open it without the help of a human.

Of course no human except his master ever helped him, so he had no choice but to keep running, make the humans follow him, lead them away, and run back with hopes of finding door open next time. Those hopes would be crushed by the cruel realty, the door was closed and that was not all, his lady's master hated him, as did every human he met except his master.

Finally at lunch time, the employees where so tired of chasing Mr. Fluffy and so behind in their work for the same reason, that they went back to their respective desks and worked on their respective computers. Seto left to have lunch with Mokuba in his mansion, due to return in an hour. As Seto walked outside with his new cat in his arms, his mood improved when he saw all the employees working. Maybe lunch wasn't a must for them; he had to seriously consider eliminating the lunch hour.

As Seto got on his limousine, Mr. Fluffy, who had gone outside, noticed he had a chance to try to talk to his lady again. But before he could, someone very familiar picked him up.

(Master! My master found me! But my lady... I didn't get to talk to her.)

Marik and Seto did not notice each other's presence. Before the limousine's door closed, Blue Eyes White Cat threw the paper ball she had been playing with earlier at Mr. Fluffy. He caught it and thought he saw her smile before the limousine drove away. This was goodbye, for they could never be together. She was destined to live in a mansion, eating caviar, hearing from everyone who saw her how cute she is, and always being loved by all who ever laid eyes on her kitty cuteness.

Sadly, he was destined to live in a must-eat-you, I mean a museum, eating regular cat food, hearing he's ugly from the neighborhood cats, hearing he's annoying from his master's sister and hearing he's cute only from his master, being truly loved only by his master. But that was all Mr. Fluffy needed, Marik, his lucky paper ball, and the memory of his first kitty love and kitty heartbreak.

End of Card 01

Disclaimer, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! Additional disclaimers and notes that apply to Cards 01 and 02 are included at the end of Card 02.

xoxox xox xoxox

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	2. Card 2

Duel Deck

Card 02: Lights, Camera, Cut!

Our next story begins in Seto's private studio where they are filming his next duel disk TV commercial. Seto Kaiba, CEO of Kaiba Corp. and creator of the duel disk had instructed the director to find someone to appear in the ad holding the duel disk and talking about it with a videogame like background. It was a simple yet informative ad and given the fact that most people were already obsessed with KC products, getting more sales would be that easy.

The director thought it would be best to hire some kind of celebrity for the commercial thinking that it would catch people's attention. So he hired a well known very famous music diva.

Seto was inspecting everything at the last minute to make sure they were ready. He stopped in front of the diva and stared ahead. "Beautiful."

"Why thank you Mr. Kaiba or Seto if I may call you that," she a squeaky voice, anyone could easily tell was edited for her songs. "You know Seto-chan after this is over we could-" But before the ditz, I mean the diva could finish, Seto had walked pass her and picked up the duel disk that would appear on TV, which was sitting on a chair that had the word 'assistant' written on the back.

"You beautiful piece of technology! You're the most beautiful duel disk I ever saw!" Seto spoke to the duel disk as he hugged it. Beside the assistant's chair, there was a chair with the word 'director' on the back. On that chair sat five-hundred pounds of human meat known as 'Mr. Director' as he told everyone else to call him. Standing next to him was a younger thin man, holding the director's drink. This poor man that got bossed around by the director was the assistant, whom everyone called 'Assistant'.

Seto did not notice the assistant and as hard as it may seem, nor did he notice the director, for he was too busy cuddling his duel disk and staring at it adoringly as if it was a cute newborn baby. Well, to him it was his baby. Seto carried the disk and gently placed it on a chair in the makeup area.

The makeup artist who was also hired by the director, was a creepy guy with lime green hair and purple eye shadow. Of course when Seto saw such a creature he immediately picked up his duel disk and held it protectively. "Who are you?"

"I'm the make-up artist!" Said the creepy guy with lime green hair and purple eye shadow. Before Seto could say anything, he was lost in a cloud of face powder. He coughed but before the creepy makeup artist could put any more make-up on him, he managed to run away with his duel disk.

Still a little dizzy from all the powder he breathed, Seto didn't watch where he was going and bumped into the ditz, aka the diva, and dropped his duel disk. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine, it's so nice of you to worry about me, Seto-chan," the diva winked but Seto didn't even notice because he was talking to the duel disk.

"Oh good, you're not hurt," he hugged the duel disk. "It's ok Otousan is right here."

Just as Seto was about to go find the director to complain about the make-up artist, the diva positioned herself directly in front of him. "Ehem!"

"Who are you?" Seto noticed her for the first time and again held his baby, I mean his duel disk, closer to protect it from this stranger, never better said because she was really strange.

"I am-" Seto interrupted her. "Never mind I know what you're looking for."

"Really?" She assumed who knows what... and who would want to know what goes on in her tiny brain?

"Just use that door there, then take the next right turn, keep going and turn left on the third entrance, then right twice and you're there." Seto walked away. Where do those directions lead? To the Domino city public pool of course. Where else would you send a girl wearing something that could pass for a bikini?

The diva's tiny brain did all it could to analyze and interpret this information. You could almost see smoke coming out of her ears because her tiny brain was over heating. Finally she concluded with a headache that those where directions and made a mental note, which her low IQ would soon make her forget, to hire someone to think for her.

The diva then used the door Seto had pointed to and found herself out of the studio. She tried hard not to forget the directions but ended up getting lost and arriving at the Game Shop where T? was stalking Yugi, and poor Yugi was helplessly hiding behind his grandpa. Joey and Tristan were knocked out on the floor, they became dizzy and fainted after T? kept going on and on in an endless speech about friendship.

T? squealed when she saw the diva and immediately complimented her outfit. Of course T? wanted the same outfit, something that Yugi thought that looked creepy enough on this girl and it would look even creepier on T?.

By now the diva had forgotten Seto's directions due to her small brain and even smaller IQ and started arguing with T? telling her that she could not have an outfit like hers because she wasn't thinner than a toothpick. T? got mad and immediately jumped on the diva. The two creepy girls fought as Yugi and his grandpa took the opportunity to run away and take refuge in Duke's game shop, leaving the unconscious Joey and Tristan exposed to the dangers of the fight.

xoxox xox xoxox

At the studio, Seto was yelling at the top of his lungs at the director for hiring the creepy make-up artist. He had placed the duel disk on the assistant's chair again and Seto's cat, a cute female white cat with blue eyes called Blue Eyes White Cat, who was given to him by a fan girl, had cuddled the duel disk and was currently taking a nap.

The assistant had gotten away from the mean old director that always stole his lunch and was playing with the camera. The camera man had been fired earlier because he was one point three seconds late and since Seto had not fired anyone that day, he used that as an excuse. After all, Seto had a reputation to maintain, if he stopped firing people, his employees may start to slack off or will become less stressed then him. He could not allow this; his employees stress level must always be higher than his own, it was in the company rules.

By accident, the assistant activated the camera and Seto's network took over all the TV channels in the world, broadcasting live how Blue Eyes White Cat slept on the duel disk.

xoxox xox xoxox

In the Ishtar's museum, Marik was preparing a salad for his cat Mr. Fluffy, whom he was determined to turn into a vegetarian. Mr. Fluffy is a tan sphinx cat, meaning he is hairless, and has green eyes. Marik happily placed the cat's dish full of salad on the couch where Mr. Fluffy was sitting looking at the TV Marik had turned on for him.

"Go on Mr. Fluffy, eat up!" Marik smiled, Ishizu didn't want him to let his cat sit on the furniture, let alone eat on, it but she was out shopping so it didn't matter.

Mr. Fluffy ignored the salad and his master, and just stared at the TV. That cat, that beautiful cat, it was her! He remembered his first and only love, Blue Eyes White Cat. Mr. Fluffy remembered when he snuck into Kaiba Corp after getting separated from his master and there he saw her for the first time. But they lived in different worlds, she was Seto's cat and he was Marik's cat, they couldn't be together, or could they? Mr. Fluffy wouldn't give up, he ran off to find his beloved. Marik saw his cat jump out the window, panicked and started running after him. "Mr. Fluffy come back! I'll let you eat meat again! Don't run away!"

Mr. Fluffy, being as smart as he is, had learned his way around the city by now. He made it a point to know his way around after he got lost the first time, so he knew how to get to the KC studio. On their way to the studio Marik, who was still chasing Mr. Fluffy, saw Bakura carrying a large briefcase. "Marik! Look at this!"

"Not now! My cat is running away and-" Bakura opened the briefcase and Marik fell silent for a few seconds before squealing in happiness. "Bakura! Where did you get all those eye liners?"

"I stole them from a weird guy with lime green hair and purple eye shadow that was chasing Kaiba around his studio." Bakura and Marik sat in a bench in the park to play with the eyeliners.

xoxox xox xoxox

Mr. Fluffy arrived at the studio and jumped on the chair next to Blue Eyes White Cat waking her up. She meowed happily and he meowed back and soon they started a kitty conversation. That's when Seto finally stopped screaming at the director and noticed that the little red light on the camera was on. This means everyone had been watching his cat and another cat sitting on his duel disk with his yelling in the background. Wait, who was that cat? "Hey you! Stay away from my Blue Eyes White Cat!"

Just as Seto picked up his cat, Marik arrived at the studio, he had remembered his cat and told Bakura they could play with the eyeliners later. "Mr. Fluffy!" Marik picked up his own cat as well. Seto and Marik looked at each other for a few seconds, then at the cats. For a minute the cats hoped and wished that their masters would let them be together, but they had no such luck. "Tell your hairball/baldball to stay away from my Mr. Fluffy/Blue Eyes White Cat!" They both yelled at the same time, pointing at each other's cats.

Marik returned home and promised Mr. Fluffy that he wouldn't try to turn him into a vegetarian anymore. T? for once won the fight and threw the diva in the nearest trash can, then she ran off to celebrate by dancing with Johnny. Everyone who saw the 'commercial' thought that the tragic story of two cats being separated by their masters was too cute, especially Blue Eyes White Cat who is irresistibly cute, and so Kaiba Corp's sales went up putting Industrial Illusions out of busyness for good. Pegasus then followed literally Gozaburo's steps and jumped out a window.

The director was fired and the assistant was promoted to director. The weird guy with lime green hair and purple eye shadow realized that his precious collection of eyeliners have been stolen and also jumped out a window. Gozaburo returned in the form of a computer virus and sued Pegasus and the make-up artist for coping him. Not being able to handle the lawsuit they jumped out windows again and somehow ended up landing in the Shadow Realm and staying there, because no one dies they always get sent to the Shadow Realm.

All in all it was a happy ending; that is, not counting the cats... Will Seto and Marik ever put their differences aside for the good of their feline friends or will those two cats never have a future together?

End of Card 02

Disclaimer, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Cheetos. The make-up dude in Card 02 is from Armitage: Duel Matrix and I don't own that either. The character Mr. Fluffy in Cards 01 and 02 belongs to Laria Kaiba, used with permission. "Bishie" is short for "bishounen" which is a handsome man in Japanese. "Otousan" means father. Blue Eyes White Cat is my original character, however her name is based on the Blue Eyes White Dragon, which I don't own, only the cat is an OC. 


	3. Card 3

Duel Deck

Card 03: Deleted

Seto Kaiba's Point of View

I arrive in my office early as I do everyday, but today is not like every day. Today is a Sunday, my day off and I promised Mokuba I would spend the day with him, but I can't. Mokuba's disappointment is due to a mistake caused by an employee that I have already fired.

Such a mistake appeared so simple, yet it was very complicated, more than anyone would ever imagine, and the worse part is that it had grave consequences. Kaiba Corporation had many customers but even one can make the difference. This one did. After this customer stopped making business, Kaiba Corporation's sales went steadily down.

Everyone heard the news. Yugi said that it would be okay, that things would get better. Joey, the mutt tried to say something mean but Yugi told him to be nice. T? tried to cheer me up with a friendship speech, which obviously didn't help.

What was I doing in the Game Shop in the first place? I really don't want to think about that. Kaiba Corporation had been doing so badly I had to do business with them, no one else would do business with Kaiba Corp. Obviously this didn't happen from night to morning. This took time and happened slowly. So slowly that I did not notice it until it was too late.

I thought that I could bring Kaiba Corp. back to the top by adding more employees who worked harder. Some said I was forgetting the laws of decreasing revenues but I didn't listen. Things got worse and many employees quit. To think this started because of that one customer was upset. No one liked Kaiba Corp. anymore and no one would buy our products.

The base of a company are the customers. If they don't buy, the company is put out of business. I should have given them more importance. Now I know I made a lot of mistakes in the past. Many other businesses I took advantage of could have saved Kaiba Corp. from its sad and pitiful demise, but they refused and I can't blame them.

So here I am in my office at 5:00 in the morning. Mokuba is upstairs. He heard me get up and I had to tell him I needed to work. He's sleeping now. This is my new home, my mansion is gone and that big building that once proudly stood in the center of Domino City is also gone. The structures still stand but, they are not mine, I had no choice but to sell them and they have been turned into something very different from what they used to be.

Here I am with an old name and a new start. This isn't even a corporation anymore, it's just a little shop. It's on the same street as Yugi and Duke's shops are. Many people change their business name after something goes wrong, but I won't. Kaiba Corporation used to produce weapons and I changed it into a game company under the same name. Now under the same name, I will once again have a new start, this time the right way, paying close attention to the details and not getting too over confident.

Speaking of important things, I save my work and turn off my laptop computer. I said I was going to do this the right way and I will. I will not ignore important details. I realize I almost did. One broken promise can mean a lot. I've been typing for hours and its now 9:00 in the morning, I'm sure Mokuba will wake up soon and I want to have his breakfast ready so I can spend the day with him like I promised.

For now I'll just take the day off, but tomorrow I'll work on my goal again. The name of Kaiba Corporation will one day mean something important again. I will not give up, Kaiba Corp. will not be forgotten, it will not be deleted.

End of Card 03

Disclaimer, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! In memory of all those good fanfics that were unfairly deleted. None of my fanfics have been deleted but some fics I was reading were. 


	4. Card 4

Duel Deck

Card 04: Kuriboh

Seto Kaiba typed in his computer at an inhuman speed. The codes he was typing looked very complicated but he remembered them easily. He smiled at himself. "What a great programmer I am, and hot too." He would have continued to complement his perfection if not for the fact that he heard something tapping on the window from outside.

Maybe it was the guy that cleaned the windows who was falling to his doom and had managed to grab on to the window at the last moment and now Seto had to save his life. "Nah, let him fall I'm busy," but the tapping on the glass window behind him persisted to the point where it became an annoyance to the CEO.

Seto spun around in his nice expensive chair and faced the window. He stared at the source of the taping noise in surprise. "Kuriboh?" He was in disbelief, there floated a Kuriboh near his window. He thought he had been staring at the computer screen for too long and this was all an illusion, but he had to know for sure.

Seto opened the window and the little Kuriboh floated inside and immediately headed to the corner of the office furthest away from Seto. Seto blinked a few times and rubbed his eyes but the little Kuriboh did not disappear. He closed the window and walked over to the little Duel Monster. Was it real? He patted it on the head gently and felt soft fur. The Kuriboh purred when it was petted.

"This can't be, Duel Monster's aren't real!" This was really starting to bother him. How could he successfully manage a multi-billionaire company if he was having strange hallucinations? While Seto freaked out, the Kuriboh floated around the office happily. "Poo! Poo!" The Kuriboh was a girl and she had been literally kicked out of the Shadow Realm by the other Kuriboh because she did not explode on contact.

In fact she couldn't explode at all, which made her defenseless and according to the other Duel Monsters useless. So far in her journey in this strange and unknown dimension, a kid threw a rock at her and a woman hit her with a broom when she tried to hide from the kid in her house. Everyone had been mean to her in some way, but this nice young man had welcomed her to his home in the pretty big concrete mountain and he petted her.

"Poo! Poo!" The Kuriboh happily flew to Seto and tried to hug him.

He took the Kuriboh and looked at her. "I need a vacation," Seto was still thinking he was imagining this.

"Poo!" How wonderful not only did this human welcome her, but he was taking her out for a walk too, how nice of him.

Seto grabbed his briefcase and exited his office with the Kuriboh following. Of course, he was pretending he didn't see her so his employee wouldn't think he was crazy and get the idea that they could be five seconds late without being fired. He stopped in from of the secretary's desk. "Cancel all my appointments for today Miss Hino."

Rei Hino, Seto's secretary was a young girl with long black hair and purple eyes. She looked up from her computer and replied. "Yes, Mr. Kai-" she didn't finish.

"What?" Seto asked.

"Don't move," Mss Hino then proceeded to open her desk drawer and take out a peace of paper with some Japanese symbols on it. She held the paper in front of her face and began to chant. The paper became solid in her hand and it glowed red then Seto did what he was told not to do, he moved.

Seto tried to look behind him to figure out what the secretary saw that made her act this way, but at that instant Rei threw the paper in the Kuriboh's direction and since Seto moved, it hit him instead. Scared the Kuriboh flew away and hid in the elevator, while Seto fell on the floor completely knocked out.

"Mr. Kaiba!" Rei quickly removed the paper from his face. "I'm so sorry I was trying to hit that creature!" With some quick thinking, Rei found a solution to her problem and picked up a glass of water from her desk, she then emptied the glass on Seto's face and surely that woke him up.

"Are okay, Mr. Kaiba?" Rei asked trying to sound as if she had noting to do with this.

"Huh? What? Yes..." Seto got up and tried to remember what happened. The last thing he remembered was seeing that Kuriboh following him, but it wasn't around now.

"You got dizzy and fainted. You've been working too hard." Rei hoped he didn't remember about the magical paper she threw at him.

"Okay... like I said, cancel my appointments for today and for tomorrow. I won't be coming to work, but if anyone asks I'm in my office very busy." It was bad enough for our dear workaholic that he admitted he needed to rest, but his employees didn't need to know.

"I understand" Rei returned to her work.

Seto got in the elevator where his new friend happened to be hiding and yelled when he saw her. The Kuriboh got scared again and attached herself to Seto's coat. Seto spun around looking for the Kuriboh but she was on his back. The elevator reached the first floor and the doors opened for everyone to see Seto Kaiba spinning around like an idiot inside the elevator. As soon as he noticed people were staring at him, he tried to act normal.

"Do you think he lost his mind?" An employee whispered to another.

"He even has a Kuriboh plushie on his back he lost it alright," the other employee agreed.

"This has been a test to see how easily you get distracted from your work," Seto quickly made up an excuse. "You're all fired!"

"He fired us," employee number one, who is not important enough to have a name, spoke.

"I guess he didn't go insane after all, that's the boss alright," the equally unimportant employee number two agreed.

Seto's limousine was waiting for him outside as usual. The driver, who treated Seto like the king of the universe, held the door open and couldn't help it but to give Seto a strange look when he saw the Kuriboh he had on his back.

Once inside the limo, the Kuriboh hoped off Seto on to the seat next to him. It was a good idea to stay still and close to her new best friend. He got her to safety, he's just so nice.

"Home," the limo started moving at Seto's command. That's when the CEO looked at the little Duel Monster, jumped when he saw her and hit his head on the limo's roof.

"Poo!" The Kuriboh cheered happily, her friend was funny too.

Seto looked away and closed his eyes. "Stop!" He yelled and the driver immediately hit the breaks thinking Seto was talking to him. "Don't follow me!" Seto screamed at the top of his lungs.

"Sir?" The driver was really confused now.

"Go away and never return!" For a moment the Kuriboh thought Seto was talking to her, but then she saw a man get out of the limo and start running, so she concluded that Seto was just trying to scare away that stranger to protect her.

"Poo! Poo! Poo! Poo!" The Kuriboh tried to thank Seto for taking such good care of her.

Seto sighed and tried to calm down. "For a figment of my imagination you can sure be noisy." He petted the Kuriboh again wondering if it still felt real, it did. "Why did you stop?" He asked this time talking to the driver, but there was no answer. He looked out the window and saw a man running away and disappearing into the distance.

"Kaiba?" Yugi's voice was heard and that's when Seto realized that he had stopped in front of the Game Shop.

"You have found it, the Kuriboh," Shadi was there as well. Shadi told them the sad story about a Kuriboh that couldn't explode, so the others kicked her out of the Shadow Realm. "They will not allow her back, so I was thinking of keeping her. However, she likes you best, so I grant you permission to keep her and with that, the responsibility to make sure she doesn't end up in some science lab with people who think she's an alien, goodbye."

"Wait!" Seto tried to stop Shadi, but he was already gone.

"He has a bad habit of disappearing," Yugi commented.

That is how Seto got his pet Kuriboh, which Mokuba later named 'Kupo' after a moogle.

End of Card 04

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!, Sailor Moon or Final Fantasy. 


	5. Card 5

Duel Deck

Card 05: Kaiba Cookies

For the past ten minutes Seto has been studying the book in his hands carefully. You'd think it's a book about technology, duel monsters or anything like that, but no one would guess it was a cooking book. Mokuba sat on the kitchen counter waiting impatiently for his brother to finish, but I'm sure you're all wondering why Seto is reading a cooking book.

It all started a few days ago in the middle of a very important meeting when Mokuba came running in complaining that Seto had promised to spend time with him. Little Mokuba finally had enough and wasn't going to let his big brother off with the usual 'I'm busy we'll spend time together tomorrow' excuse. There and then, in front of all the executives, Seto had to promise to spend the afternoon of the next Sunday with Mokuba and do whatever he wanted. It turns out everyone thought it was so cute that it was actually a good thing that it happened, and business went well.

That brings us to the present, Mokuba wanted cookies, but they had to be made by Seto. Who knows what made Mokuba think of this 'cruel and unusual' punishment for his beloved older brother, but the thing is, he wouldn't change his mind. "Big brother!"

Seto looked up from his reading. "What?"

"Are you done?" Mokuba smiled sweetly as he had the last hundred times he asked the same question and received the same answer.

"No, this looks complicated why don't we just buy the cookies?"

Mokuba then put all his effort in looking cute and gave Seto the 'chibi face' "Please! You promised!" Seto did the classic anime sweat drop and continued reading.

Time passed very slowly for Mokuba, until his brother finally decided to get started. "The first thing we should do is prepare the ingredients." Yes, I know. It took him almost an hour to come to that conclusion. Well he's a technology genius, not a chef.

The process happened rather uneventfully unless you count a twenty minute search all over the large kitchen as an event. That day Seto realized he hardly knew where anything was in his own kitchen.

To make this easier for the Kaiba brothers I could say that they by some miracle they had all the ingredients they needed, sorry guys no such luck today. Besides the story would be too short if they had everything now. So the Kaiba brothers set off on a journey to the super market. The limo got there rather quickly and they started searching for what they needed.

In the middle of their search, they spotted Yami and Yugi in the baby food section. "Can I have this?" Asked the former pharaoh holding a jar of banana flavored baby food.

"Yami that's baby food," Yugi pointed out.

"But it's so yummy!" Yami gave Yugi the chibi eyes look. If only Seto had a video camera right now.

The Kaiba brothers' journey continued and soon they heard another familiar voice. "C'mon Serenity, just one bag!" Seto and Mokuba hid behind a large pile of dog food bags and listened.

"No Joey, you really have to stop eating that stuff, it can't be healthy!" Serenity tried to take the dog food from Joey but he held it up away from her reach.

"It's healthy! It has protein!" Joey argued.

"It's made for dogs!" Serenity complained.

"I checked the ingredients and it had lots of things found in other foods people eat!" Joey obviously wasn't going to give up.

Serenity shook her head and sighed. "Fine, but you have to promise me you'll try to quit after this one." Another priceless moment that caught Seto without a video camera.

The Kaiba brothers found some of the items they needed, but they still had to find a few more things and if they're as bad as the authoress trying to find things in the super market, they might take a while to finish.

As they continued the search, they found Tea hitting Tristan on the head with a sign that advertised cheese. "Tristan you're not being friendly! I got this job at the super market and I was told to give only one sample to each customer, you can't eat them all!" Tea broke the sign on Tristan's head. "Now look what you did! You broke super market property. What if I get fired?" Now that the sign was broken, before Tea found something else to hit him with, Tristan made his escape. "Tristan, come back, I didn't mean to be unfriendly!" She was about to run after him but saw Seto and Mokuba. They realized they had been discovered and made a run for it.

Mokuba managed to get away but Tea grabbed Seto's anti-gravity coat and pulled it making him fall. "Let me help you up Kaiba and give you a sample of the great product I'm representing!"

When Seto tried to say 'no' Tea threw a cheese sample in his mouth and he immediately spat it out. How could Tristan eat this stuff? What kind of cheese was this? It certainly didn't taste like Cheetos, or pizza cheese, or any of those other good cheeses. It tasted horrible and it was stinky too.

"Kaiba, you have to eat it!" Tea protested and tried to make him swallow another sample. Seto wanted to get away but Tea wouldn't let go of his coat and he couldn't leave his precious gravity defying coat behind. It was like his signature, Seto must always have an anti-gravity coat; it's a part of what makes him Seto Kaiba.

While trying to force Seto to swallow the stinky, yucky cheese, Tea caught a glimpse of her watch and realized that she was supposed to be done giving out the samples by now. Her boss at the supermarket was expecting her in five minutes with a report on people's opinion on the cheese. Now she wished she had let Tristan eat them. "I have to finish handing out the samples, there's no time so you'll have to eat them all, okay?" Tea smiled and Seto thought he saw her eyes glow evilly before she reached for a handful of cheese samples and tried to make him eat them. He would have yelled for help, but he didn't want to risk opening his mouth. Seto kept trying to escape, but Tea tackled him and was determined to make him eat the stinky cheese samples.

Mai walked by, minding her own business when she saw Seto running around with Tea who wouldn't let go, trying to feed him cheese. She blinked and wondered why Seto was giving Tea a piggy back ride all over the supermarket. She thought about it and concluded that he must be drunk, or maybe she's drunk and he's just a poor victim who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The chase continued and when Seto thought he might have no choice but to swallow the yucky stinky cheese and live with the consequences, there was a loud noise like someone hitting someone else with a frying pan and Tea let go of him.

"This is a good frying pan!" Mako grinned victoriously at his find. "Now to pay for this and go fry some fish." The ocean lover walked away, leaving the knocked out Tea on the floor, much to Seto's relief.

After searching all over the large super market and missing each other many times, the Kaiba brothers were finally reunited. Mokuba spotted Seto at the other end of the aisle. "Seto!"

"Mokuba!" Mokuba and Seto ran to each other, everything went in slow motion until Seto slipped on some juice someone spilled on the floor. He quickly got up and pretended like it never happened.

Now that they were together again, the Kaiba brothers found the remaining ingredients they needed for the cookies, stood in line for an eternity, finally paid for everything, and went back home.

After a long messy process the kitchen looked like a disaster zone and the cookies were done. They let the cookies cool off, then they finally got to eat what caused them so much trouble.

So our story comes to a happy ending with delicious cookies... just kidding. The cookies didn't even taste like cookies they tasted worse than the stinky cheese and that's saying a lot. They were so hard you'd think they were magically replaced by rocks while in the oven. If Mokuba didn't know better, he would think his dear brother was trying to choke him to death.

"Sorry Mokuba, the cookies didn't turn out well," Seto stated the obvious.

"It's okay big brother, at least you tried," Mokuba smiled.

A week passed rather uneventfully, until one day Mokuba was back from school and smelled something like cookies. He ran to the kitchen and found that it was in an even bigger state of chaos than the first time they tried to bake cookies. They would seriously need a new kitchen after this.

"After school snack?" Seto, who was covered from head to toe in any and every cookie ingredient known to the human race, pointed at the cookies on the table.

Mokuba tried one of the cookies and it actually tasted great. "Yummy! They're great, did you make them?"

Seto nodded, "I finally got it right and I wouldn't break a promise to you." They enjoyed the yummy cookies, isn't this a sweet (pun intended) ending?

End of Card 05

Reviewers get cookies made by Seto now that he learned how to make them. :) Just for the record the things that happened with Yugi, Joey, T a and Tristan are there just for fun and humor, no serious bashing intended. Disclaimer, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Cheetos. 


	6. Card 6

I still have a long way to go before I'm done revising all my fics, but I'll definitely go through all of them and make them better. :D As usual, the old version was deleted, to be replaced with the revised version here.

Duel Deck

Card 06: Angelic Darkness

The darkness... What became at one point my only fear, for all other fears of a mortal are nothing compared to it. The darkness, the thing I hated the most at one point of my life. Are you still here darkness? Are you still haunting every corner of my mind? Or have you left forever? Have I finally been set free from you?

"I'm here light," I don't fear, I'm relieved. The darkness is still with me, terrifying my soul and protecting it at the same time. The one thing I hated the most and the one thing I care for the most. The only thing I had, the only thing I have that understands me.

My friends don't like the darkness, I don't blame them, they don't know him like I do and they don't know me like they think they do. Everyday comes and goes and ends the same way. The darkness is still here and I no longer expect him to leave. I have accepted that such a day will never come and I no longer want it to come.

Don't ever leave me, my darkness, "only if you stay my light."

I sometimes used wonder how the world around me is. What things are like, what faces look like, but I only used to get a small glimpse from afar because the darkness is always in control, keeping me alive. Don't you know? I already died but the darkness keeps me alive with energy from the Shadow Realm and the power of the Millennium Ring. The darkness knew I would die and saved me. I like to think that was his goal all along, I don't always believe it, but I like to think that way.

I remember the day of my death, so sudden and unexplainable, but he knew. He felt my heart grow weaker by the day and kept me away from the pain. Was this your goal all along or did it become your goal somewhere along the way? You don't tell me, but that's okay.

That night, that lonely night, all was dark as the sun set and the day ended. I sat alone in my Soul Room and the darkness was all around. Then he came to my room. I was scared at first, but then I noticed that look in his face.

The darkness looked sad as he came closer. He said it was time and I did not understand. He let me take over and then I suddenly knew. I felt life slipping away from me inevitably. When death was about to claim me, the Millennium Ring glowed and the darkness gave me energy. My life is no more, but my vessel still stands, even if my heart doesn't beat and my blood doesn't flow.

Don't get me wrong I'm not a walking dead nor am I a living zombie, my vessel is preserved exactly as it was when I was alive or maybe better. I look the same and time is endless for me now. I'm a sprit with a vessel, not a human being. I was human once, but now I'm more like him. Even so, I'm still the light and he is still the darkness, we complete each other.

My room is so dark, much like his Soul Room, nothing like mine. I've been there, I go there when I wish I was alive and I talk to my darkness. He's nicer to me now. Was he just preparing me for what was to come before? Oh, yes, this situation of my staying here when I'm not alive upsets destiny itself.

The Reaper hunts for me every day but the darkness sends him away. Even the Ripper fears him, but if I am to feel fear when the Reaper comes I will fall. Was my darkness just preparing me so that I could escape death itself and stay here in this world? Is this the way it's meant to be? Tell me, my darkness, is this what you want things to be like?

"Yes," I smile in the darkness of my room. I didn't think he would answer that and I'm glad he did.

I stand up from my bed where I have been laying and look out my room's window. I feel pain that only mortals feel but I'm not a mortal anymore. This can only mean the Reaper is back. I see him standing outside my door, a black shadow with a scythe. The Millennium Ring glows and the darkness, my darkness, scares him away with just a deathly glare.

The Reaper can't come into this house. He fears the one I learned not to fear. I'm safe here and as long as he's with me, I'm safe out there as well. I let my energy flow freely letting my true form show. My vessel becomes a spirit and I'm surrounded by a golden glow. White wings are on my back and a halo on my head. I hear the skies call with a beautiful song but I'm not ready to leave yet. Not until he can come with me, for I will not leave him here.

You are my darkness and I am your light and we need each other to survive. One day I'll follow that beautiful music into the skies, one day when he can come.

End of Card 06

For those who are still confused: Ryou died of a genetic heart disease (I don't know if there is such a thing I just randomly made that up). Bakura used the energy of the Millennium Ring and the Millennium Puzzle (Remember when he put a portion of his spirit into it during Battle City?) to give Ryou the ability to preserve his vessel so that he didn't turn into a zombie after he died and stayed in his vessel. Ryou is now angel but he doesn't want to leave this world because of Bakura, who is still in the Millennium Ring, can't go with him. Disclaimer, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! 


	7. Cards 7 to 13

This is the revised version of these stories, I deleted the old ones.

Duel Deck

Card 07: Heaven is Waiting

Ryou's Point of View

A lot of things have changed in the past few months. One of those things is Bakura, he saved my life. Well I'm not really alive, but I'm here on Earth as if I was alive. I look like I always did, but my true form is that of an angel. Things are not that simple however, I'm not supposed to be here. I can see the Reaper hunting for me, only those who don't belong in this world can see him. The spirits of the Millennium Items are protected by the ancient magic, but the Millennium Ring was meant to hold the spirit of Bakura, not mine. This vessel has no heartbeats, blood doesn't flow, but I look the same as I always did thanks to the magic.

"Ryou," I hear a voice calling me while I walk to Yugi's house. No one knows I'm dead, I didn't tell them. They think that Bakura and I are finally getting along and it's true, but they don't know why. Than again, Yami might have figured it out, but he hasn't said anything to avoid worrying everyone over something they can't change. "Ryou," that voice sounds familiar but I can't quite tell who it is. Then I see her, a girl who looks like my dead sister, Amane. "Hello my brother."

"Amane," I speak in a whisper. People walk by and they walk through, as if she wasn't there; because she isn't, she isn't a part of this world and neither should I. "You're here..."

"I've always been here Ryou. I've always been watching over you, but I could not interfere with your life. Now you can see me. I'm happy to know that you and the spirit of the Millennium Ring are getting along so well. You've come to care about each other and I wish you could continue being this happy. But I'm afraid that watching out for the Reaper isn't your only worry," Amane looked sad as she said this. What bad news could she bring?

"What's wrong?" To anyone passing by, I must look crazy talking to thin air, they can't see her.

"Time is running out," Amane looks into my eyes. "Ryou, the doors of Heaven will not stay open for you forever, you must enter now!"

I think I know what the problem is but I ask anyway. "What about Bakura, the spirit of the Millennium Ring?"

"I'm sorry, he will have to stay in the ring," Amane knows what my answer to that will be.

"I can't leave him," as I say this, I hear his voice in my mind in protest.

"Ryou, you have to go!" I can't believe he's telling me this.

"I won't leave you!" I insist, speaking to him on our mind link.

"One day the Millennium Items will be no more, one day I'll have to leave also. But what will happen to you then? Ryou, if you don't go when your time comes, you become a lost soul. This is your time, mine will come eventually." But will we end up going to the same place, Bakura?

"Amane, will I meet Bakura again?" My sister only looks down and slowly shakes her head. "Are you sure?" I ask again.

"I don't think so, but I don't really know. There might still be hope." I'm not sure if Amane believes this or if she's just trying to cheer me up enough to convince me to go.

"I'll go only if Bakura comes with me," Amane knows I won't change my mind.

"Very well, it is your decision," there are tears in her eyes. "I must go, good bye my brother." She hugs me, then extends her beautiful wings and flies to the Heavens above.

I sigh sadly and continue walking. A few random people are looking at me strangely because I just hugged someone invisible to them, but I don't care. Bakura is trying to convince me to go, saying it's for my own good, but I'm ignoring him. I walked pass the Game Shop and into the Domino City park without even knowing it.

"You should have gone when you had the chance boy," I've been walking around for so long the sun has gone down and the park is deserted, but I know that voice.

"Show yourself Reaper!" I demand.

The Reaper comes from the shadows; a skeleton, a black cloak and a scythe. "Are you ready to become a slave of my world?"

I glare at him and prepare to take my true form. My vessel falls motionless at my feet as my soul leaves it and I stand here surrounded by a bright light; white wings on my back and a golden halo on my head. Then suddenly I'm no longer an angel, I'm a ghost. Frightened by my new transparent appearance I return to my vessel.

"Foolish mortal! Your ability to be an angelic creature will only last while you're tied to Heaven. But the doors will be closed for you soon," the Reaper threatens.

"Go Ryou, if you go now, you can still come to visit later with a special permission, but you must enter Heaven at least once before you can really be an angel," I heard Bakura's voice in my mind.

"I'm not leaving you! You know it won't be the same if I go, I will no longer be the holder of the Millennium Ring." If I'm not angelic then I can't fight the Reaper. It is my angelic form that scared him away before, but I'm defenseless against him as a ghost. The Reaper, surrounded in a dark aura, tries to attack me with his scythe. There's something wrong, he must have done something because I can't move.

When the scythe is about to hit me, the Millennium Ring begins to glow and I'm protected by it. Bakura appears in front of me in a ghostly way. "The Millennium Ring will protect one soul, first mine and now yours. When the Millennium Items are no more, to Heaven you shall find the doors."

"Bakura!" He's gone; he's really gone, the Reaper took him. Now he'll be captured forever and I can't do anything about it. The Millennium Ring recognizes me as its spirit now.

"Let him go!" I hear my sister's voice again. She holds a bow and arrows, glowing with Heavenly light. Amane shots an arrow at the Reaper, the dark creature screams horribly. "Release the spirit now!" Having no choice, the Reaper brings Bakura back and disappears into darkness. "There has been a change. Bakura you've proven that you're not the evil spirit of the Millennium Ring but good spirit now. You were willing to give up everything to save my brother, even your very soul. You may both enter Heaven together." Amane was smiling and so were Bakura and I as we followed her into the skies..

Card 08: New Year, New Hope

Ryou's Point of View

Winter is here and with it comes Christmas vacation. This is the happiest time of the year for some, but for me it's the worse. I won't be able to escape my yami at school, indirectly escape him anyway. Even during the school hours I can feel him in my mind. He talks to me sometimes and what he says isn't nice. The good side of it is that he won't come out, he won't attack. I know he won't try anything, not while the others are around. They protect me without knowing it, my friends. But even friends can't save me when I go home and am left alone with him, the spirit of the Millennium Ring.

Another thing about Christmas that people enjoy is presents, but of course I don't get any. Sometimes, my father sends me something, but he's never around for the holydays. Even so I can't help it but to be relived when a package arrives, it means he has not forgotten I exist. I wish I knew what my father sends me; Bakura takes the packages away. I can't hide anything from him, that's why I know he'll find me.

This year has been colder than any other. I've been sitting out here alone for quite some time. I left the Millennium Ring at the house; I can't really call it home. However, I'm still linked to Bakura, he will come. I'm not sure how far I am, but I know this isn't Domino City. I ran right out of the city into an endless snow covered field. I'm weak and tired from running and very cold. Maybe I'll get so cold I won't even feel pain anymore.

I got snowed in with Bakura last year and didn't want it to happen again this year. It's too bad I can't go to Yugi's New Year party like I said I would. It was a mistake to accept the invitation knowing Bakura can read my thoughts. He won't allow me to go; he was quite clear on that.

I wonder how I managed to get away from him in the first place. He must have known I was going to run away and never return. Maybe he thought I would come back when I start to feel cold, tired and hungry, or maybe he just didn't care. Either way I'm glad he didn't stop me. I'll just stay here, resting in the snow, letting the white falling from the skies cover me. I feel so cold yet I'm more comfortable now than I've ever been before. Did it just get darker? I'm so tired... I need to sleep.

"Ryou..." How long have I been sleeping? "Ryou!" Whose voice is that? It sounds familiar but it's so far way. "Ryou! Wake up!" I open my eyes and see him, Bakura, he came to find me after all. Why must he wake me from my peaceful rest?

"Leave me," I'm trembling from the cold.

"No," he picks me up and tries to carry me in direction to Domino city.

"Leave!" I yell as loud as I can, trying to make him drop me, but I'm too weak to even move.

"You'll freeze to death out here," Bakura argued.

"Why would you care?" I yell back. He is silent for a moment, what a stupid question. He wants me alive so he isn't trapped in the Millennium Ring.

"Don't ever do this again," Bakura warned. "Besides, if you stay here and freeze, you won't be able to go to your friend's New Year party." I don't know what made him change his mind, but suddenly despite all he has done, I can't help it but to smile and let him carry me back home. For once I have something to look forward to, not just a happy new year, but also whatever good changes the new year will bring.

End of Ryou's POV

Card 09: Good OC's Monologue

Hello, I'm an original character, a good original character to be specific. I wasn't when I was created, but I slowly evolved into a weakling over time. Well not exactly a weakling, I do have some strengths, but I also have weaknesses.

It became official on that day when I signed my good OC contract. Strange things began to happen since that day. My powers were gone and I was stuck in Japan with absolutely no idea how to speak Japanese. Then, after I realized my presence in Japan made no sense, since I'm not Japanese and didn't have a real reason to be there, I was teleported back to America. I stayed there for a while, living as an ordinary girl that no one knew existed.

Finally my creator thought of a suitable purpose for me and I was sent in an adventure with some of my favorite bishounen. However, it was them that came to America instead of me going to Japan. Well okay, I'm exaggerating, I didn't go on an adventure with anyone, but I did get to visit Kaiba Land along with the billion other people in that freaking endless line.

You might think it was fun, but it was actually a drag. My personality, the way I was designed, I hate traveling and waiting. Sure there were bishounen, but I was forced to keep my distance. I couldn't glomp them or anything, because I always ran face first into an invisible force field.

Stupid Seto Kaiba! I loved you but now I... actually I still love you, except you don't know me. Either way, there is one up side to the situation. I was designed to prefer machines to people so I won't miss him too much.

Why am I angry at him? Is it because I want to glomp him but can't? No, that's not it. It's because he tricked me and I hate being tricked. I was foolish and that's not even supposed to be one of my characteristics. I guess I got cocky from all the power, even if I wasn't supposed to be cocky, but sometimes when you're a bad OC, you forget yourself and your personality becomes random.

Seto made me sign the contract. He said he was making me his personal assistant, with emphasis on the personal, and now I can't lay a finger on him. The contract prevents me from doing anything that is considered a Mary Sue action.

On the bright side, I remember who I am. My personality is no longer random. My feelings aren't hurt because I'm supposed to be cold and distant. I was meant to keep emotions bottled up until I can disregard them, or until they fade away.

In fact, why did I care about him in the first place? I was meant to admire him from afar, but think relationships are too troublesome. Laziness is one of my main traits.

Enough about the negative, I tend to be optimistic at times though I also give up easily. Ironic isn't it? But it's a possible combination. Look at this it way, if I give up, what's the worse than could happen? There you see, I'm giving up easily and staying optimistic at the same time.

You know what I can do? It's pretty cool, I can read machine language, yes ones and zeros. I don't know why I didn't lose this skill when I lost the power to fly, super strength and all that other stuff. I guess it's because my creator believes it's humanly possible and it is because she can do it. I'm good at stuff like xhtml, css and things like that.

You know what else I inherited from my creator? An exaggerated bad sense of direction! At least some people think it's exaggerated, but if my creator has it then it's humanly possible.

I remember when I used to fly, shoot lasers from my hands and made Obelisk, Slifer and Ra look like wimps. Those were the days. Then again, if I had to live with myself on one of those days, I would end up hating me.

I'll admit I've felt tempted to find a way to break my contract and be free to be ridiculously powerful. Not for the same reasons of before however. This time I plan to be selfish with my powers and also to keep them quiet because I strongly dislike attention. Ironic isn't it? Sues just love attention. I don't want to take over the world, I just want to live an easily life. Let's not forget I was meant to be lazy.

Does being a good OC mean not enjoying being around the main characters? My creator thought they could do without me being there and with my newly developed schizoid personality I was thankful to miss out.

For every flaw there's a counter. I'm not super pretty but I'm not really ugly. I'm not skilled in dance, sports or driving any kind of vehicles, but I couldn't care less. Actually driving space ships would be nice since there's not much to crash into in space, but I tend to not care about things I can't easily obtain, so it's okay that I don't have that.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not your average angsty girl who thinks the world sucks. I think the world has good things and bad things. I'm just indifferent to pretty much anything that doesn't affect me directly; I guess that's my selfishness.

Okay, let's see, I'm selfish, lazy and have a bad sense of direction. On the other hand, I'm smart, though not a genius, but still pretty smart. I'm also emotionally strong, even if it sometimes turns into cold indifference.

I was going to be a spoiled brat but that didn't work out. My creator thought it would be bad for me to have everything without lifting a finger. I would really like it if I did, I don't care if everyone says I'm a Sue because my life is perfect. Idiot author not spoiling me enough. I'm lazy, that's how I am and I place no importance what so ever in what others think of me. Live and let live, mind your own business. Maybe I am brattier than I thought.

I bet you hate me now, but I don't really care. I'm nice only if you're nice to me first. I won't fight though. I'm not exceptionally strong anymore and average isn't strong enough to win without effort and I don't like effort.

But enough of that, like I said, I'm nice if you're nice. I'm helpful as long as the favor you need isn't time consuming. You could be the most evil of villains and if you did nothing to me, I have nothing against you. I guess it's a good thing when you look at it in a certain way. I don't judge people by what a third person says. I reserve judgment, but that doesn't mean I'm stupid enough to befriend someone whom I've heard several times is a serial killer simply because no murder has ever been attempted on me. Yeah I'm sarcastic too, but just sometimes.

You know what? Maybe I'm not such a terrible OC. Teenagers rant, it's not that rare. Girls like me, okay, fan girls like me, tend go on random rants so maybe this fits. You know what? I really am a good OC. Do you know why? It's because I don't exist. I live only in my creator's mind and don't exist in the world of fandom. I shall remain here until the day my creator finds a purpose for me. That time I visited Kaiba Land? It was never written. If there is no written record of me, then I don't exist. I was vanished from the world by the contract Seto made me sign, then he forgot all about me because I never existed. I shall return as a good OC with a true purpose someday, maybe...

What else can I say about me? I love cats and dislike dogs. I like bunnies too. Just don't make me clean after any of those animals, I only like to play with them. Water is unpleasant, so obviously I never learned to swim.

I could continue ranting, but my laziness is getting to me. Maybe I'm not a good OC, or not good enough, but I'm not that bad, I'm not perfect, I'm not a Mary Sue, a fangirl and a Mary Sue are different. Ironic, isn't it? A Mary Sue's perfection is her biggest flaw.

Maybe I entertained you with my useless drabbles, but it's time to go now. Yes, go do something useful and stop wasting your time with me; don't forget I prefer to be alone. Go on now, shoo.

Card 10: Guardian Snow Angel

"When there's no one around, I see my Guardian Snow Angel. I feel at peace when he's with me. When no one else is there, he's the way he used to be. You bring me a feeling of happiness so nice that no even death makes me sad, because you're still here in another way. Thank you for always taking care of me, my guardian snow angel. Even if the snow claimed you, you never left my side or my heart." Seto closed the story book having finished reading to Mokuba.

It was one of those stories that came out in Christmas. One of the main characters died, but he stayed in the story as the guardian snow angel. According to the book, all the lived claimed by snow during Christmas, regardless of how the snow took their lives, would become snow angels. Mokuba wanted a Christmas story and Seto had gotten quite a few books for him.

xoxox xox xoxox

He just had to go to that meeting. No matter if he promised his little brother he would stay home because it was so close to Christmas, a few days away, he had to go. Seto was the one who called the meeting anyway. Against his promise to Mokuba he spent the previous night working late and needed to meet with some of his employees before his new project could go to the next step. Seto Kaiba was not one to wait. Of course he was also not one to let his little brother down.

After leaving Mokuba with his new videogames to keep him busy, Seto snuck out and hoped in his helicopter for speed. He would be out and back in the Kaiba Mansion with time to spare before Mokuba noticed. Normally Seto was better at making decisions, but this was a horrible one. Helicopters and snow don't mix. The next thing he knew, all he saw was the white snow.

Seto arrived at home late that night. Mokuba must have noticed and might have gotten worried, but it's not like he could call. His cell phone wouldn't have a signal in the storm and either way he was too busy piloting his helicopter then. One thing was for sure, Seto Kaiba would never get on anything that flies during a snow storm.

Seto didn't know why but he had a strange feeling. As if he couldn't remember all the day's events very well, yet he remembered memories from a long time ago so clearly. It was odd to remember all his life that well, yet not remember things that had happened minutes ago, like when he landed his helicopter. He didn't like that feeling at all. He felt as if there was something wrong. To convince himself that nothing too tragic was going on, he quickly went to find his little brother.

Mokuba was in his room, hugging his pillow while crying. "Mokuba," Seto called him.

"Big Brother!" Mokuba immediately glomped Seto and cried some more.

"I'm sorry I left Mokuba," Seto tried to make Mokuba calm down and stop crying. Looks like his little brother got a bigger scare than he thought.

"You're here, you're okay, you're alive!" Had Mokuba really gotten worried to the point that he thought something life threatening happened to him? Seto hugged his little brother feeling guilty for giving him such a big scare.

xoxox xox xoxox

The next few days went by quickly. Seto spent all his time with Mokuba and actually managed not to work (too much) during that time. All was happiness in the Kaiba Mansion until he came. Seto and Mokuba were in the living room playing chess when he arrived, a lawyer that worked for Kaiba Corporation, for some reason he had a key.

"Mokuba we have a bit of a situation here. With Mr. Kaiba gone, everyone is out to get Kaiba Corp. You're still too young so someone will have to help run things until you're old enough to do it yourself," the lawyer explained.

Mokuba looked at the lawyer, then at Seto. "But that was all a mistake, my brother's right there." He pointed at the empty space in front of him.

The lawyer sighed, poor kid. "Look Mokuba, I'm not good at such subjects, my job is to preserve the company to the name of a Kaiba and I'll lose that job if you lose Kaiba Corp. as my contract states."

"What are you talking about?" Seto got no answer, as if the only one who could see and hear him was Mokuba.

"He's right there, don't you see him?" Mokuba started to get teary eyes.

The lawyer waved his hand around the empty space where Seto was supposed to be and he would have hit him but nothing happened. He was there, but he was like a hologram.

Mokuba stared in disbelief. How was it that he could do that? Mokuba took a chess piece and threw it at Seto, who tried to catch it, but it landed on the floor behind him going through his hand, his ability to interact with solid objects weakened in the presence of someone other than his brother.

Mokuba looked right at Seto. "Why didn't you tell me?" He was trying to hold back more tears.

"Tell you what?" The lawyer thought the question was directed at him, being the only other person there.

"Why did you lie to me Seto?" After yelling that question Mokuba, ran upstairs and locked himself in his room.

Seto quickly followed. "Mokuba what's wrong? I know something is happening!"

Mokuba looked at his brother with tears in his eyes. "I heard the helicopter crashed and you were hurt, killed. But then you came and I thought you survived and got better, but you didn't. I'm sorry I yelled at you, I understand now you didn't know, maybe I always knew but didn't want to admit it."

"I didn't make it?" Deep down Seto knew, the memory finally surfaced.

"At least you're still here in another way," was all that Mokuba could say, while he made himself smile and felt that magical peace that only snow angels bring.

Card 11: My Point Of View

Seto Kaiba's Point of View

Now I realize just how much I miss him. Why Mokuba? Why did you do this to me? Have I not been a good enough brother for you? I know I haven't been the perfect sibling, but I've done my best, yet I failed.

You're gone, I lost you and I miss you. Somehow, I've lost the will to live. Right now I would normally be working, but I can't concentrate. My mind is filled by only one thing: a question. This questing is: Why? I still don't understand why this happened and with Mokuba none the less.

I would never imagine something like this would happen to me, but that's the way it is; you think you're immune to these things. You think it just can't happen to you until it does. Accidents happen to everyone, just like death.

It hasn't been long since I lost someone very important to me and I miss him so much. I still remember what it's like to hug him so clearly. I'm afraid I'll forget.

I failed, I failed and it ended in tragedy. I should have done something, I know I could have. I knew there was something wrong with the helicopter, well I didn't really know, but I suspected it. I shouldn't have ignored it, I could have saved him.

Mokuba, why? Everyone thinks I overreacted, being so depressed over this loss. Yugi and I were dueling when I received the news. The helicopter I sent to Mokuba, my little brother...

I didn't believe it at first, but then the truth sank in. Yugi tried to be his normal cheerful self and tried to tell me that it would be okay. But it's not okay; Yugi doesn't understand, he has never lost anyone like I have. I guess I shouldn't blame him for not knowing, it's something no one wants to learn about first hand.

I must have done something horrible in a past life to deserve this, if there is such a thing. If so, I'm sure Ishizu is wrong in all her little predictions, my real past self must have been more evil than she could ever imagine. Then this is my punishment? No, if it was, then I would have suffered the accident, not him.

I'm losing my mind, there's no such things as past lives. I'm just a total failure who couldn't protect someone he cares about., I can't live with myself, not like this, I can never get over this, never. I want this to end, this terrible pain. I can't stand it, not even I, Seto Kaiba, can deal with this loss.

No, only I carry his true memory. He wouldn't want me to be sad. I know he wouldn't, then why am I sad? I know why, because he's gone and I can't do anything to change that.

I try to get more comfortable in the couch where I've been laying for a while now, thinking of depressing thoughts. There is an object on a small table next to the couch that catches my attention. What is that doing there? It's almost 11:30 pm, outside its dark and the lights are off.

I stare at the object I saw and reach out for it. Then I just stare at it some more. It's like I'm in a trance with no control over my actions. All I want is for this pain to end. Why Mokuba? Why?

The next thing I know a few drops of red liquid fall. I'm holding my hand out and the liquid keeps falling and falling like deadly raindrops staining the carpet crimson.

I close my eyes. It's over. There's nothing I can do to fix this. No matter how hard I try, I can't change the past. He's gone, never to return, he's gone and that's all there is to it. I couldn't save him, it's the end. "I'm dying!"

"No you're not." I hear a gentle voice and open my eyes then I see it, a creature of light, like an angel that has come to me. The beautiful light gently takes the object from me and cleans the red substance on my hand and wrist. "Come," the light extends her hand to me.

I take the light's hand and we go up. Then I see him, Mokuba! He's standing there with an apologetic expression. "I'm sorry big brother, I'm really sorry about what happened."

"It's ok it wasn't your fault," I hug my little brother. "That helicopter, I should have..." I don't end my sentence, there's no point in doing so.

The one that led me up here opens a door and a bright light comes from inside. Mokuba and I enter together and then I see something that ends all my pain and restores happiness to my heart.

End Seto's POV

That was the story from Seto's point of view, now read it from my point of view and it will all become clear.

When I found Seto, he was laying on the couch with a pitifully sad expression and a ketchup bottle in his hand, letting the red liquid stain the carpet. I cleaned his hand and wrist, which were covered in ketchup and took the bottle away from him before he made a bigger mess.

Earlier, Mokuba was playing with the toy helicopter Seto gave him and accidentally knocked his plushie out a window. Seto loves his Blue Eyes White Dragon plushie. He's been laying there all depressed while Mokuba ran to hide in his room.

I got the plushie that had fallen in the yard and cleaned it up. Then I got Seto to go upstairs where he found Mokuba and forgave him. I opened the door to his room, the lights inside where on but the lights in the hall where off, so it was kind of bright with the sudden light. Seto and Mokuba went to his room and Seto was very happy when he saw his plushie sitting on the bed all cleaned up.

Card 12: Perfect Little Boy

'Run perfect little boy; run towards your only escape. The tall walls will not let you out, so instead you must find your escape within yourself.'

"You think you're doing this for my own good? All this pressure? I'll tell you what is good for me... peace!" What have you done perfect little boy? You are no longer perfect. Maybe you could be modified somehow.

Gozaburo Kaiba virtualized Noa's mind. He erased certain memories, but even then, he could not turn Noa into the perfect little boy he wanted. So he found another perfect little boy.

Little Seto sat alone in his room. How frustrating can life be when he cannot be who he really is. Gozaburo wanted him to be a perfect little boy and used Mokuba to pressure him.

"I'll give you food, a house and any materialistic desire, TV, videogame, money you name it, but you must be a perfect little boy. I'll pretend to care, but all I care for is myself. I'm so proud of you perfect little boy, make me proud. I don't care if you hate what you're doing, I don't care if you are someone else, I don't like who you are, so I will turn you into something else. My perfect little boy you shall be."

Seto was different from the other children, he wanted to beat Gozaburo at his own game and he did.

'Very good, perfect little boy.'

So another story ends of a child pressured to be perfect. Surrounded by people who criticize him, as if the world will end by his fault, at the slightest glance of his true self. Those who want to turn him into someone else. Hypocrites, more selfish than you know. I don't trust you, you just want to change me and I may be trapped, but not forever.

Oh perfect child, you must get good grades. Oh perfect child you must have good friends. Oh my perfect little child, be superficial with friendship for appearances are everything. If I don't like that boy or girl, neither must you. Go talk to the boring kids, be as much as a hypocrite as them.

Oh perfect child, be nice to the teacher and never tell him or her when they are wrong. Oh perfect child be nice to the hypocrite family members that hardly know you exist, show them you're better than their kids.

Oh perfect child, don't you know your purpose in life is for me to brag about you? I'm a failure, so you must do what I'm too stupid to do. My dear perfect child I know you're smart, why do you not use that how I want you to?

'Tell me, are you trapped? Do they want to change who you are? My perfect child don't worry, you shall live longer, you shall be so much more, then you'll laugh at their face in the glory of your freedom. Oh perfect little boy, thank you for helping this perfect little girl be free, just like you.'

Seto stood there staring at the spirit in front of him. This room had been sealed since before he came to the Kaiba Mansion. Now he finally managed to open it and to his surprise found a girl's ghost trapped inside.

'Evil Gozaburo, one time he wanted to have the perfect daughter, but I was never perfect enough. Then Noa came to take my place and back to the orphanage I thought I would go, but I didn't. Locked away in my room I died from lack of food, trying to accomplish the perfection that is impossible. But you beat Gozaburo at his own game, you may not be perfect , yet you beat him none the less. Good bye!'

The spirit faded away and Seto just stood there for a few moments trying to erase the recent memories from his mind. He eventually convinced himself that there was no ghostly little girl and that it was all his imagination because he was working to hard. Thus the almost perfect boy went on with his life.

Card 13: A Brother's Promise

There was a mixture of darkness and light, a combination of cold and hot. The world around him made no sense and he couldn't remember why. Seto slowly opened his eyes. He wasn't sure what was going on and didn't remember ever going to sleep, but one thing was for sure he had a killer headache.

He tried to get up, but the dizziness made him lay down again. He rested for a few moments before trying to get up again, slowly this time. He recognized his surroundings as his room, but it looked a bit different, nothing too significant, just a few details out of place.

The large windows where opened letting the bright sunlight in. He wasn't sure if he felt cold or hot, it was a mixture of both. He touched his forehead and concluded this strange sensation was due to the fever he had. Was it just a common cold, or maybe something more?

Still confused and somewhat disoriented, Seto examined his surroundings. A knife stained with blood lay beside him near a blood stain on the bed sheet. He reached for it and felt pain as he did. He noticed a deep cut in his right arm and wondered how it got there. He got up and headed to the bathroom to find the first aid kit and treat his wound.

As he walked, Seto noticed empty bottles and small jars scattered on the floor. Clearly the bottles were once filled with a drink containing alcohol and the small jars contained some kind of nonprescription medicine, like headache medicine, which he needed badly now. All those objects on the floor confused him very much. He truly had no idea of how they got in his room, his memory was blank. His surroundings were hard to understand, he was still very dizzy and lost.

Seto got to the bathroom and washed his cut. Upon doing so, he noticed the bits of dry blood that stained the floor and the tub, leaving a small trail out of the bathroom, but his cut was dry, so that must have happened before. Somehow, Seto knew it was his blood, but he couldn't remember what exactly happened. He finished cleaning his cut and took a shower, noticing other cuts as he covered himself in soap. The warm water felt good, he was beginning to feel more awake now.

He got dressed in clean clothes and went back to his room to pick up the bottles and jars from the floor. This worried him. Did he get drunk and try to poison himself? No, of course not. He wouldn't do that, right?

Suddenly, Seto remembered his little brother and panic took over. He dropped everything and ran to Mokuba's room but Mokuba was not there. "Mokuba!" Seto ran around the entire Kaiba mansion yelling out his little brother's name, but he received no answer.

Seto ran outside hoping that he would find Mokuba in the yard. "Mokuba!" Still he got no answer. He continued running and searching until he saw Mokuba up ahead. He calmed down and took a deep breath.

Seto still wasn't sure about what happened, but his little brother was safe, so everything would be okay. "Mokuba, don't disappear like that."

Mokuba quickly stepped back, not allowing Seto to hug him. This of course this surprised Seto, since usually Mokuba is the first to jump on him and glomp him. "You promised to be happy!"

Seto just looked confused. "I am happy," was the only thing that Seto thought of saying, yet somehow he didn't believe himself.

"Don't forget me but don't remember me that way," Mokuba insisted. Seto had no idea what he was talking about.

Mokuba smiled, "promise not to be sad, promise to go on and live your life happily, reach your goals and dreams. Don't forget me, but don't remember me in sadness. Always remember the good times big brother! It's the only way I can rest." Seto just nodded not knowing what to say. "Tell me that you promise," Mokuba requested.

"I promise," Seto answered without thinking about what he was saying.

"Keep your promise big brother!" Mokuba began to walk away, slowly disappearing.

"Mokuba!" Seto ran after him, but Mokuba was gone. He continued running until he came to what appeared to be a tombstone in the middle the garden. Why didn't he remember that being there before?

Seto came closer to read the name written on the tomb. "Mokuba Kaiba," his memories slowly returned, flooding his mind with pain and sadness. He remember now what happened, he did want to die, he did try to commit suicide but the alcohol and pain killers made him loose consciousness before he made the final cut.

Once again Seto wanted to be dead. The pain of losing his little brother was too much. But now he couldn't die. Now he had a promise to honor and this time he would keep his promise, or at least he would try as hard as he could.

"Why did you made me make such a promise, Mokuba?" Seto didn't question if what he saw was real or not, either way, he knew that this was a promise Mokuba would want him to keep. He stood there for a few minutes looking at the tombstone with tears. "Rest in peace little brother; I'll do my best to keep my promise this time."

-More to come...

Disclaimer, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! About Card 11, "mikari" translates to "beautiful light". 


	8. Card 14

Duel Deck

Card 14: Midnight Call

Seto Kaiba's Point of View

A quick glance at the clock on the bottom right corner of my computer tells me that it's almost midnight. I continue typing rapidly; I must have this finished by tomorrow.

Tonight Mokuba is with Yugi and his friends, sleeping over at the Game Shop. I can't help it but to feel a slight worry, yet I know Mokuba is okay. Still, there is something going on, a certain sadness hanging in the air threatening to fall any minute.

My cell phone, which is next to my computer, begins to ring. Who could it be, calling me at this hour? I look at the small screen and recognize the number; it's from Yugi's place. Has something happened?

I shouldn't jump to conclusions; maybe it's just Mokuba who stayed up late, as people always do in sleep overs, if they even sleep at all. Maybe he just wants to say good night, since he knows I'm usually awake until after midnight.

"Hello?" I feel as if I'm expecting bad news, the kind of bad news that can't wait until tomorrow morning.

"Kaiba?" Yugi's voice trembles and I can hear crying in the background, yet I somehow know Mokuba isn't the reason for that, he's alright, I know he is.

"What happened?" I sound nothing like my usual cold self, or maybe I'm not like that after all.

"I know it's late, but please come pick Mokuba up, or I can tell Joey or Tristan to take him home, it's best if he's not here right now." I can't understand the rest, just crying and a few words mixed in.

His grandfather wasn't feeling well that afternoon. "Yugi... I'm sorry."

End of Card 14

Disclaimer, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! 


	9. Cards 15 to 21

Duel Deck

Card 15: Chocolate Parfait

Mokuba's Point of View

When Ryou borrows something he always gives it back, Bakura doesn't. The other day Bakura borrowed my chocolate parfait. He borrowed it without asking and when I went to get it in the refrigerator, it was gone and not too far from there, I found Bakura holding the empty cup. I told him not to eat my chocolate parfait ever again and he promised he wouldn't.

The next day I knew I had another delicious chocolate parfait made especially for me by my brother waiting in the refrigerator. Bakura said he wanted to look at it, only look at it, so I let him, but he ate it. It's not fair, that was my special chocolate parfait that Seto made just for me!

I started crying after that and Bakura didn't know what to do. He kept complaining about Ryou making him baby-sit to prove he's not evil anymore and about Seto running off to do who knows what. Seto says he working on Kaiba Corp stuff but Bakura laughed when I told him that. I don't know what's so funny about it, it sounds perfectly normal to me.

The next day, I made sure to eat my chocolate parfait before Bakura got to it. He couldn't steal it, I didn't let him. I'm satisfied I finally ate my chocolate parfait all by myself. The coolest part is that today I didn't have to go crying to my brother about it. Bakura says I do that too often and that I can't do stuff on my own, but I showed him!

End of Mokuba's POV

Card 16: Tell Me (SerenityxTristan, MaixJoey)

Serenity's Point of View

Today, among other things, I accidentally put salt instead of sugar in my brother's coffee, but he drank it anyway. Joey and I have been living in an apartment in Domino city for a while now. Mai comes to visit often; it's nice to have her come over. Mai and my brother make a good couple and so did a certain someone and I while it lasted.

It was my fault really. I should have showed more appreciation. He came to think that I looked at him as a friend and nothing more. It's like we never told each other what our status was, but for a while we might have been dating, but I never made it clear I thought so too. He must have finally given up and put distance between us so we could really be just friends.

My brother kept asking me what was wrong. I think he already knows, but won't say it until I tell Tristan. I don't want to talk about it and I don't want to worry Joey, so I smile and say I'm alright. I really don't want to cause a fight between them. I want them to be friends and I don't want to be the reason they're not.

I remember that day when I came home and Tristan was here. He was standing just outside the apartment, waiting at the door to see me as soon as I got there. I really appreciated that and it was days like those that made me fall in love.

As I sit here writing in my diary, I can't help it but to wonder what would have happened if I told him how I felt when I had the chance. Why did I keep it to myself? Did I assume he would know? Should he? No, there's no way for him to know unless I told him, or showed it somehow...

"Serenity," there's someone at the door to my room so I stop writing in my diary and put it away. That voice isn't my brother's voice.

"Come in," it's Tristan, he's here. Now or never, I have to tell him now, even if it's too late, I need to get this off my chest. "I love you."

Tristan smiles, "I know and I love you too." I guess he figured it out. Even if I didn't tell him before, he must have felt it somehow. Maybe I was the one who needed to figure it out.

End of Serenity's POV

Card 17: Lobster Boy

Seto Kaiba's Point of View

I await the inevitable remark as a come face to face with the mutt. His little friends Yugi, Tristan and Tea also have comments about my current situation. I can see it in their eyes, but unlike the mutt, it looks like they'll keep quiet. I guess the mutt isn't as smart as the others. He's going to say it, I know he will.

"Kaiba," he starts, but laughter interrupts his sentence.

I give him a deadly glare as I think back to yesterday. Why did I have to give in and take Mokuba to the beach? He kept insisting that I needed to relax and kept giving me the sad kitten eyes. Well at least he's happy. I must admit it was good to take some time off, once. I haven't build a sand castle since that time when we built a model of the amusement park I told Mokuba we would have in the future, that was in a sand box at the orphanage. We built it again at the beach and it turned out even better.

"You're," the mutt tries to communicate his comment again.

"Don't say it," I warn him seriously. The mutt's friends are smiling, holding back laughter, while staring at my sunburned face.

"Lobster boy!" As soon as those two words come out of the mutt's mouth Yugi, Tristan and Tea burst out laughing.

"Shut up!" I scream. Sunburn alone is bad enough, but having sunburn and being laughed at, is too much. This is unacceptable.

"Sorry Kaiba," Yugi apologized between laughs. "I know sunburn is really annoying and painful."

I ignore him and continue glaring daggers at the mutt. Not literally, but I wish I was. Ten minutes pass and he finally backs way, creeped out by my deadly icy glare. I don't think I've ever held a glare without blinking for this long before. I walk in a straight line between the mutt and Yugi, then past Tristan and Tea.

Judging by the things they're carrying, it looks like they're going to the beach. I doubt that after going all the way to the beach they'll turn back when they get there and realize they don't have any sun block. I grin as I reach into my gravity defying coat and pull out four bottles of sun block, which I throw away in the nearest trash can once I know I'm out of their sight. Paralyze your enemy and take what you want before they even know what happened. Sometimes knowing the basics of being a ninja can be very useful.

End of Seto's POV

Card 18: Happy New Year

Seto Kaiba stood in from of his new Kaiba Land theme park or should I say 'Kaiba Landia'. He wanted to have parks all over the world and this particular one was located in Spain. Today was new year's eve, the day in which the park was opened. A large sign at the entrance was supposed to read 'happy new year' but due to a small spelling mistake it said something completely different.

"Mira ese letrero," said a girl who was heading for the park, this means "look at that sign" in English.

"Sin cambiar de tema, viste a Kaiba?" Another girl giggled saying, "without changing the subject, did you see Kaiba?"

Those fan girls must think he doesn't understand Spanish but Seto Kaiba is fluent in Japanese, English, Spanish and who knows how many other languages. He couldn't help it but to pull down his anti-gravity coat and stomp away. Who ever made that sign was so fired. "Roland! Tell me who made that sign at the entrance?" Seto yelled once inside the park.

Roland, who was supervising random things on the first day of business, was rendered speechless by the anger in his employer's voice. The blue haired man could only manage to gulp and point at a near by employee, soon to be ex-employee.

"Mr. Kaiba is there something wrong with the sign? Because I wrote exactly what you told me to write," Seto's glare made him fall silent.

"Idiot! Insulting the locals is not a good way to start business! You're fired, now get out of here before I," Seto raised his silver briefcase, ready to hit that stupid man with it. The recently fired man ran for dear life, before Seto was able to hit him, and was never seen or heard of again. Seto lowered his briefcase and took a deep breath.

"Big brother," Mokuba voiced.

"What" Seto responded angrily, but he calmed down when he say the look on Mokuba's face. "What did you want to tell me?" This time Seto spoke with forced sweetness.

"Why are people pointing at the 'happy new year' sign and laughing, or making faces, or looking surprised?" Mokuba asked curiously.

"Mokuba, do you remember that sound I told you about in the Spanish language?" Seto tried not to explode in anger just thinking about what the sign outside said.

"The one that sounds like no, no, o," Mokuba recalled, getting the pronunciation right on his third try.

"Yes that one, in Spanish 'feliz a o nuevo' means 'happy new year' but 'feliz ano nuevo' means... It means something else," Seto explained.

"What does it mean?" Mokuba innocently inquired.

"Never mind Mokuba, just don't use that word until you learn to pronounce it right. I need to go do something about that sign now," Seto walked away. He had to get rid of that sign right now, because Kaiba Landia had wished enough people a happy new ass.

Card 19: Fetch!

Joey Wheeler stared at the flashdrive in his hand. He knew it wasn't his and he wasn't sure if he should return it, throw it in the nearest garbage can, or burn it. The owner of this flashdrive was Seto Kaiba. He had dropped it while placing his deck back in his coat pocket after the duel ended.

Joey had been the one to challenge Seto Kaiba to a duel and as usual he was ignored. This time Joey would not take no for an answer and continued his avalanche of complaints and insults until Kaiba stopped walking, turned around and ordered him to activate his duel disk.

Joey was confident he had a good chance of winning this time. That confidence was with him until he lost his very last life point while Kaiba had plenty left. This time Kaiba had won easier than ever and Joey knew this victory would not be forgotten. After that, a few more insults were directed at the blond and the CEO placed his cards back in his coat, then left. That's when the flashdrive fell out.

Now, one day later, Joey stared at the item, still wondering what course of action he should take. He remembered all the things Kaiba yelled at him. "Useless mutt, dueling monkey, luck alone won't help you now, you have no dueling skills what so ever, you should quit, insignificant idiot." All those words echoed in his mind as if Kaiba was standing right next to his ear yelling them right now.

Joey closed his eyes and tried to push away those thoughts. "Stupid money bags!"

"What are you yelling about?" Tristan asked confused.

Joey looked at Tristan, wondering for how long he had been standing there while he was lost in thought. "Nothing, never mind." Joey got up from the park bench and began to walk away.

"Where are you going?" Tristan inquired.

"I need to return something, I'll be right back." Joey didn't want Seto to think he stole the flashdrive and add 'thief' to his endless list of less than friendly nicknames.

Joey ran to Kaiba Corporation and saw Seto as he was about to enter the building. "Kaiba!"

Kaiba turned to look at the one calling him. He had to go check on some business and needed to return to work in his office as soon as possible. "I don't have time for your stupidity right now."

"You should be thanking me that I came all the way here to return this. I should have burned it!" Joey waved flashdrive around until Kaiba extended his hand. Joey tossed it into his hand and began to walk away muttering something about an ungrateful bastard.

"So you can fetch after all," Joey heard Kaiba's voice and froze. As soon as he regained movement he turned around. "One GB flashdrives are practically antiques now; the ones I use have a lot more storage space than this. I was only trying to prove a point."

"What point?" Joey was angry and somewhat confused.

"That you're a mutt and that's why you fetched this for me." Kaiba laughed at Joey, while the blond only managed to growl. He should have known it was a trick.

"Next time you lose something and I find it, I'll burn it!" Joey screamed at the top of his lungs before storming off back to the park.

Seto smiled in amusement. "I wonder what other tricks I can teach him besides fetch..."

Card 20: Contract

"Mr. Kaiba!" A female voice was heard, followed by insistent knocking on a door. "Mr. Kaiba, it's time for your meeting and it's not very friendly to keep people waiting!" Tea paused; then brought her ear to the door to listen to the hushed noises from inside the office. When she heard footsteps approaching the door, she immediately stepped back.

Tea glanced at the walls inside the office after Seto opened the door. All the abstract paintings that Mokuba dared to call decorative were still there. The general state of the office was as it was in the morning, save for the inexplicable layer of dust that managed to make it into all offices, regardless if windows were opened or closed.

"Clean the office Gardener," Seto instructed.

"Yes, Mr. Kaiba," Seto's office was the easiest to clean, Tea concluded, because it never had a multitude of papers scattered about.

Seto hated paperwork to the point where he considered throwing away the printers, thought in the end he kept them. People should learn to keep documents on the computer where they belonged. Why things needed to be printed to be read, Seto would never understand, he preferred to read from the screen anyway.

As Seto sat in his business meeting, he searched for the necessary contract in his briefcase. So far he had discreetly emptied its contents under the table, accidentally or otherwise, and concluded that he didn't have it. This was bad, because that contract was very important and Roland could only stall for so long.

Then Tea ceremoniously entered the room serving mid afternoon coffee and muffins that were not really requested by anyone. Before any of those present noticed Seto's predicament, she unnoticeably handed him the contract, and with the excuse of having dropped a napkin, snuck under the table and scooped all the scattered papers back into Seto's briefcase.

Then, as Tea headed out the door, Seto mused that maybe it wasn't so bad that he had lost that silly, non-duel related, bet against the mutt, promising to give Tea a job as the prince. Though the CEO never figured out why Tea decided that she wanted a job at Kaiba Corp, he would blame it on Joey, he must have talked her into it to annoy Seto; but really, it wasn't so bad.

Card 21: Odd Couple

It's a deep dark secret, such a sweet feeling. Can such opposing things be one and the same? A new emotion, is this what they call love? Or is it another thing?

Being with you is the only time I'm calm. You bring happiness to my life and simplify my problems. You define my existence and you give me strength to go on. When ever I have a problem, I come to you, when ever I feel sorrow, I come to you and in happiness I'm always with you. You were always in front of my eyes but I did not believe that this love could exist.

I wondered about this for a long time. There's something different about this relationship, not something found every day. I'm sorry for all those times when I called you less than nice names, back then I didn't realize what I felt inside.

At the beginning I thought it was nothing, at one point I thought it was hate. Now I realize it's nothing like that, is it the feeling they call love? Is it really? Is it even possible? Is it right? What if my little brother finds out? Some example I'll set. Then again, I don't feel like I'm doing anything wrong, so why worry?

No one knows about this; not my brother, not his friends. If it were my choice, they would never know. No one needs to know, we'll keep this secret, just you and me. Different as we may be, we are deep down, I believe, the same. If you promise not to leave me, I will never leave you. Stay with me forever and I will stay with you. You are my love, you are my hope. I finally realized it. I need you always, do you need me?

xoxox xox xoxox

Seto Kaiba looked at what he had typed on the screen and decided it was too mushy for what it was supposed to be, a simple recording of his every day life. Deleting the text, Seto typed on his blog again.

xoxox xox xoxox

Today I apologized to a certain someone for calling this someone not so nice names. While I was doing so, I realized that I have fallen in love and declared my love to this someone. This someone feels the same way about me and that makes me very happy.

However we're not your every day couple, we're different and some firmly believe we're not supposed to be together. I find nothing wrong with it and wish they would understand. Even so, I haven't told Mokuba yet. No one else knows either. I don't mind keeping the secret forever, it shouldn't be too hard. I'll just act like I used to when other people are around and they'll believe it.

xoxox xox xoxox

Not even typing the name of the person, Seto saved his entry, feeling a certain special satisfaction when doing so. There was something special about having an online blog where he wrote about his life. Those who he kept secrets from could easily access it, yet even if they did, they would have no idea who this blog belonged to. It was so amusing that they knew so much, yet they didn't know anything at all.

Seto smiled at the object of his affection, whom he did not consider to be just an object. He petted his beloved computer and bid it goodnight.

To be Continued

About Card 18, "feliz" means "happy", "nuevo" means "new" and "a o" means "year". So "happy new year" is "feliz a o nuevo" in Spanish (the order of the words is different). However, if the n doesn't have the tilde on top, then it's something totally different because "ano" means "ass". Just in case you're wondering, you can get the by pressing alt 164. Card 21 is SetoxComputer, crackfic surprise! 


	10. Card 22

Duel Deck

Card 22: Rainy Night

Our story starts in the Bakura residence in Domino City, Japan, where something very unusual is happening. Most of the time Bakura, the spirit of the Millennium Ring gave the orders and Ryou just listened and obeyed, but tonight the white haired hikari had the courage to talk back and so an argument began.

One thing was clear to the former tomb robber; his hikari was not going to be the victim anymore. Ryou was tired of being picked on and wouldn't back down regardless of what that meant. Secretly admiring his courage, Bakura didn't kick or punch his hikari, but instead just argued with him. The yelling could most likely be heard from the neighbors' houses and the street, but neither of them cared about such unimportant details.

"Why can't you be..." Ryou trailed into silence. The hikari looked down at the floor sighing hopelessly. He turned around to go upstairs to his room, leaving Bakura in the living room.

"Why can't I be what?" The yami hissed, grabbing Ryou's arm and forcedly making him sit down on the stairs. "Well? Answer me boy?" He would never admit it, but Bakura was somewhat disappointed that Ryou's sudden courage appeared to be gone and was replaced by indifference.

Ryou sighed once more, holding his head and feeling the headache that was to come from all the screaming in his ears. "Why can't you just be," why can't you just be my friend? Ryou meant to ask, but it was something else that came out. "What can't you just be different? Why can't you be like Yami? Why can't we be like Yami and Yugi? I've never done anything to you, but you hate me!" The white haired boy angrily got up and ran up a few stairs; he stopped and glared down at Bakura. "I've had it with you Bakura. I just want it all to end. I thought that if I listened to you and was nice, you would eventually change, but I guess I was wrong. It's clear you're not going to change; you don't care about anyone but yourself. You selfish evil spirit, I wish I never touched the Millennium Ring!" Ryou's eyes were shiny with tears that threatened to fall any second. "I just want all the pain to end, why won't you go away?" A few tears started running down his pale face. "You may hate me, but know this tomb robber, I hate you even more!" After saying those unexpected words, Ryou ran up to his room, Bakura heard the door being slammed shut and locked.

The former tomb robber stood there for a few seconds in disbelief, staring at the stairs. He wasn't sure if he was angry or sad, or both, but he knew for sure that he was extremely frustrated. So Ryou wanted him to be like the pharaoh? Bakura considered going up to Ryou's room to make him regret his words, the door could not keep him out, but instead he turned around and left, out the front door.

Bakura didn't know why but Ryou's words bothered him this much. Some time ago, he wouldn't have cared, but then again, some time ago Ryou wouldn't talk to him that way. He had changed, didn't the hikari notice? The truth was Bakura was trying to be nicer to Ryou, but due to his hard past, it was difficult sometimes, but he tried, didn't that count? Didn't Ryou notice he was trying? Or maybe the boy had suffered so much he was unable to forgive the spirit of the Millennium Ring.

Bakura's mind was clouded by all those thoughts as he carelessly walked down the lonely streets of Domino City at night. A loud crash of thunder and lightning was heard not too far away, that would explain why there weren't any people in the streets tonight; the woman inside the talking picture box must have predicted a storm earlier. Either way, it didn't matter. Maybe the cold rain water would help Bakura calm down, he didn't know why, but he just couldn't face Ryou when he was this upset, he wouldn't admit it, but he was afraid he would return to his old ways guided by anger.

Lost in his own thoughts Bakura didn't notice the person following him. Rain drops started to fall from the skies at first few, then abundant and heavy. The rain clouded his vision and his hikari occupied his mind. He heard the roaring thunder and the crashing lightning, but he did not hear the foot steps in the rain until it was too late.

Bakura nearly jumped a mile when someone suddenly hugged him. He slowly turned around the face the person relieved it wasn't a rabid fan girl. "What are you doing out here?" Bakura asked his hikari.

"I came to find you," Ryou replied. "I'm sorry I was mean, I really am. I know you're trying to change and you've come a long way. I appreciate what you're doing."

Bakura grinned, almost smiled. "It's alright, forget it. Let's go home and get out of this rain before you catch a cold."

End of Card 22

Disclaimer, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! 


	11. Cards 23 to 29

Duel Deck

Card 23: Ode to the Spell Checker

"This is great," the director watched the duelists getting ready to start filming. It was a Duel Monsters fantasy film, inspired by the monsters that were seen around the city a few months ago. Seto Kaiba was leaving to throw another tournament, KC Grand Pix or something like that. The director had been very lucky to get him to participate in this film.

The camera crew gathered around, making the final checks on the equipment. Security kept the many fan girls under control and away from the stars of the movie. In this movie Seto would play the villain and Yugi's mission was to stop him from taking over the world.

It was a strange habit of this particular director to film the ending first, which took place at Kaiba Land, or as it was known in the movie Kaiba's Evil Lair. They could have closed Kaiba Land for the day, but Seto didn't want to miss a day of profits, besides he would get more publicity this way.

"Quiet on the set!" The director yelled. "Now lets get ready to film the final scene with Yugi's heroic speech!"

That classic board with the numbers was held in front of the camera. "Yugi's heroic speech, take one!"

"Lights, camera, action!" The director excitedly called.

"I will not let you take over the world! The people of Earth have given me a mission, I shall accomplish that mission and my mission is," Yugi made a dramatic pose while reading from some charts with his lines.

"Cut!" The director yelled. "Yugi baby, put more emotion into it, like you do when you duel!"

"Hey Yugi, maybe I can help," Yami offered talking to Yugi on their mind link.

"Alright, you can do this scene," Yugi mentally answered.

The classic board with the numbers was held in front of the camera again. "Yugi's heroic speech, take two!"

"Lights, camera, action!" The director called once again.

The millennium puzzle glowed as Yami took over and read Yugi's lines from the charts. "I will not let you take over the world! The people of Earth have given me a mission, I shall accomplish that mission and my mission is," Yami made a dramatic pose, "to strip you!"

All the fan girls who were watching the movie being made began to cheer and clap. Seto just stared wide eyed. "That wasn't in my contract! You're fired!" Seto pointed at the director, even if he didn't work for him. Security dragged the director away and threw him out. "The movie thing is off, everybody out, except the paying customers that is."

"Aw!" Needless to say, the fan girls were not happy, so Seto had to be escorted out of Kaiba Land by twenty-seven body guards, and taken to safety in his helicopter.

Later the director, who not only directed but also wrote the script, was returning home to Hollywood very frustrated. He first thought it was the fault of the one who made the charts, but it was actually his fault. No, it wasn't his fault; it was the spell checker's fault!

Originally, Yugi was to say, "I will not let you take over the world! The people of Earth have given me a mission, I shall accomplish that mission and my mission is to stop you!" However, the poor unfortunate director later realized that he had typoed "stop" as "strp" and the spell checker changed it to "strip".

The Spell Checker can be a double bladed weapon sometimes, but where would we be without it?

Card 24: Special Delivery

Seto Point of View

The truth is that I've never tasted it, but I heard it's very good. It's not that I don't have access to it, I practically run this city. That's why when I wanted to throw my Battle City tournament no one objected to me using the entire city as the battle field. People dueled everywhere in the city, even in the middle of roads and the police could do nothing but redirect the traffic. This city is mine. I control everything here, everything except this. I have access to it, but I'm not in control. The reason is simple: Mokuba.

I planned to tell my little brother of the situation. About how it felt to be so close, to have the thing I want most in my hand, but not be able to taste it. Of course I backed out before I actually told him. I just can't give my little brother such a disappointment. He looks up to me, everyone does, or they should. I can't do a thing like this to Mokuba, they'll all know. So I have decided to do this in secret.

I've taken every possibility into consideration. Mokuba will never know, no one will. My little brother will be sound asleep when I leave to pick up the package and I'll be back before he wakes up. The meeting will take place in a random alley of Domino city where no one would expect to find Seto Kaiba. It's already midnight and I said I would be there at twelve thirty so I better be on my way.

xoxox xox xoxox

Sneaking out of my mansion unnoticed was easy. I don't want to make any noise so I'll go on foot; it's not too far anyway. A few unknown people walk around the streets of Domino, probably planning to party all night. There's no one around I know, but even if there was, they won't know I'm here, I'm a ninja moving in the shadows. I hurry into the alley, if I'm late the deal will be off and he won't give me another chance to buy. He was very clear when he said it.

I keep walking into the darkness of the alley and spot him in a corner. "Do you have it?" I ask, trying not to show I'm a little nervous.

"Yes," He replied quietly as he hands me a brown paper bag and at the same time I hand him the money.

"Don't tell anyone," I insist before he runs off. I go deeper into the alley and look around to make sure no one followed me. I open up the bag and stare at the merchandise for a moment. I can't believe I finally have it.

All the stores in which this is sold are closed at this hour and if I get it during the day, Mokuba will always somehow find out. Tonight I finally did it. I got Yami to buy this and keep it safe until I came for it, that way Mokuba will never know. I take the bag of Oreo cookies out of the paper bag, open it and eat an entire cookie, this feels so good.

I take another cookie and lick the cream off before eating it too. I've never had the chance to taste the cream side before. Mokuba always showed up when I was about to eat Oreos and asked if he could have half the cookies and of course he always wanted the cream side. Now I feel a little guilty about eating cookies without him, but it was the only way I could taste the cream side, just this once.

End of Seto's POV

As Yami entered the Game Shop, Yugi turned on the lights. "Where did you go so late?" The hikari asked.

The yami knew his story was farfetched, but he tried to explain anyway. "Would you believe me if I told you Kaiba offered to pay me a thousand dollars if I delivered some cookies to him in an alley at thirty minutes past midnight?"

Card 25: Mirror Image

There was a cold feeling all over his body as his leaned against the smooth surface of the large mirror. It was so cold, yet so relaxing, just sitting on the floor next to the mirror when his little brother was away. When Mokuba was there, he could only catch small glances at the mirror, but now that Mokuba was somewhere with his friends for the afternoon, they could be alone. The younger Kaiba had left quite angry because Seto preferred to stay and work than to go with him and his friends to the movies. Little did he know how powerful his words could really be.

"I'm cold... Hug me" He moved slowly to the side, resting his face against the mirror. It was cold, so very cold, yet it felt warm and safe at the same time.

"Don't leave," He placed his hand on the mirror touching his reflection's face.

"Why are you sad? I'm right here for you." He willed the reflected image to smile.

"We have very little time to ourselves, I want you to be happy," he told his reflection and pressed his body against the mirror's surface, wishing he would fall into the other side, into the arms of the only one he could truly trust.

"You're the only one who cares for me." He closed his eyes and wished with all his heart, which contrary to what most believed he did have, that the one in the mirror would come to him.

"You're the only one who doesn't ask anything of me but takes me as I am." Memories randomly surfaced in his head from all the times he was asked to be someone other than himself.

"Why can't I be like you? You're just Seto..." He opened his eyes to see a pair of blue eyes staring back at him.

"You're not the CEO of a major corporation, you're not the one in charge of Kaiba Corp. and you're not the one that will be blamed if it ever was to fall, you're just Seto and that's enough." It was too much pressure, too much perfection to achieve.

"You're not a big brother, you're just Seto. Why do I fear him? Why do I fear letting Mokuba down to the point where it's best to avoid him?"

"Why can't I be more like you? Why can't I just be Seto and let that be enough?" He cared for his brother very much, yet he feared he wasn't a good enough brother for him.

"Why can't I be like you? Why can't I be your mirror image?" He wasn't just Seto, he was so much more, yet he felt like so much less.

He stepped away from the mirror. The young man staring back at him showed a hint of superiority mixed with disgust and pity. "Love me, please don't pity me..."

The image glared at him. "Don't hate me... please."

He stepped closer to the mirror again whispering to the image. "If you hate me too, then I can truly say that everyone in the world does, because you are the only one left. But I know you can't hate me."

The image appeared to look down upon him as if he were just an inferior creature. "You think you could be a better brother than me?" Being Mokuba's brother was the reason he lived for, yet he felt like he always did worse every day.

"I'll get out of your way." He would no longer be a brother. Mokuba had someone better now, so there was no use for him now. There was no reason for him to stay.

xoxox xox xoxox

"Seto!" Mokuba's voice echoed all over the large empty mansion. "Seto, I'm sorry about what I said!" He ran up the stairs as cold chills ran down his spine. "You are a great big brother, the best I could ever have!" There was a painful feeling in his heart.

"Seto?" What the mirror reflected was the one thing that Mokuba would desperately try to erase from his mind, yet he could never forget the nightmare.

Card 26: Understanding

Seto Point of View

Sometimes I wonder if there's someone out there that can understand me. Sometimes I wish there was. That day like any other day I went on with my seemingly perfect life that isn't so perfect. That day I thought would be like any other day, but for once I'm actually happy to admit I was wrong. Because that day was different, that day I found you.

It happened as a complete accident. I wasn't looking for you because I didn't think you were out there, but you were and that day I found you. At first I didn't recognize you, but then the truth hit me. I know who you are. How could I not know the second I read it? I guess I just wanted to give it more thought, just to be sure. Yes, I know who you are, you're the one I wished for.

That day like any other day I went to work, yelled at my employees and spent all morning typing. That's when it happened. I was typing when the power went out because lightening had crashed near by. It was a very stormy day. My computer screen froze, or so I thought. I hit random keys almost unconsciously, trying to get some reaction from the computer.

Soon enough the computer worked again, but the keys that I unconsciously hit brought me to a search engine. The words I randomly typed where things that I thought only I could understand and I didn't even realize I typed them. I hope I hasn't spaced out and accidentally typed anything too personal on a company document. It's not like me to get so distracted, but lately things have been too stressing, even for me.

I read a little of what was written in the search results. It looked like it was someone's blog. I never type my life for everyone to read, but I wonder if I should type it, then I won't get the sudden urge to type everything out of my system when I'm working. No one needs to know I'm the one who wrote that, maybe I'll consider this option.

I can't help it but to click on a specific link, the description feels so familiar somehow. It seams like the search engine used part of the latest entry in the description as it is the first text that appears on the page.

I read, "does anyone know how much energy it takes to pretend to be perfect all the time? Then I wonder why do I do it? Is it that I care? No. Is it that I want to become what I pretend to be? Certainly not. Is it that I don't have a choice? Maybe. Thinking of things I come to the conclusion that I have nothing to pretend for, or rather no one. That's okay I've always said I don't need anyone, but then why keep up appearances?"

This person, who ever it is, asks the same question I ask myself. At the same time whoever this may be, brings my answer. I go on because of Mokuba. I let people think I'm perfect because I don't want to disappoint him. I don't blame him, not at all. I blame myself for getting myself trapped in this situation.

It keeps unwanted attention away. If you're relaxed, you're irresponsible. If you have your own way of making priorities instead of mindlessly following the crowd, you're insensitive. If you want to be happy and try to be, you're selfish. If you're life doesn't go a certain way, you're wasting it, even if that's how you truly wanted it to be. But you know what? If it doesn't go your way then you really are wasting it. In short, if you're different, you have a problem.

People always criticize what they know nothing of. Always making assumptions and stereotypes and using generalizations with everyone around them, without first looking at themselves.

You know what I think? Being 'someone' isn't important and people liking you isn't important. Why should I care? I don't. I pretend so I can keep them away, until the day I can escape this world ruled by the mindless majority. I don't fit in, nor do I want to. Just because the majority does something, it doesn't make it right, and just because only a few people do something, it doesn't make it wrong. I hate hypocrites.

By now I should have stopped wasting my time and continued working, but I can't stop reading. Sometimes I wish there was someone out there that could understand, but I don't really care if there is. I hide more secrets than they think. The one they see is an act to keep their questions away. Different means bad to them I guess, but that's a lie.

I'm almost done reading the entry and somehow want to read more. "Let your life flow how you want it to." That last sentence is so simple, yet it holds so much meaning. This makes me want to read more and I do so.

After reading several entries I've found that there really is someone out there that understands. First there was the occasional email that came more and more often. We're different in some ways and the same in others, a good balance.

You understood me in a way different from what anyone understood before. Whoever you are, I had to find you beyond the virtual world. Tracking the computer used to post this site was easy, given the fact that I have the best technology in the world.

You, like I did, kept things to yourself except you left a clue out there in the virtual world of the internet for someone to find you. I'm glad you left that clue out there, because now you're not out there anymore. You are here, with me.

End POV

Card 27: Cleaning the Closet

"I can't believe she left," Joey muttered under his breath, as he tried to pull himself free from all the random junk that occupied most of his room and specially the area in front of his closet. The closet had two doors, one of which was stuck, it didn't matter anyway, if it stayed stuck it could hold in all the random objects in that corner, besides opening one of the doors was enough to reach in and place any other things that needed to be stored in there.

Joey kept his clothes in drawers due to the risk of losing them in the closet, but he never worried about cleaning it, nor did the thought occur to him that it might eventually run out of space.

Today that poor abused closet door had finally become unstuck as Joey placed a lonely shoe in the closet. He had lost the shoe's companion and after searching for about an hour initially, then putting the shoe down and trying to recover it's companion for another hour again a week later, Joey gave up on his one man rescue team and was about to sacrifice the lonely shoe to the Shadow Realm aka his closet.

Joey didn't want to throw the single shoe away, in case its missing sibling showed up. It would appear that the shoe was the thing that finally caused a chain reaction, making the contents of the closet fall like an avalanche, pushing the formerly stuck door open and falling on Joey, burying him alive.

Serenity had come running when she heard the tremendous noise. Now the siblings lived in an apartment in Domino city by themselves. Serenity always kept the rest of the apartment clean, neat and organized, but she never ventured into Joey's room. Not even Serenity knew for sure if she avoided her brother's room out of respect for his privacy, or simply because deep down she feared that she might find some kind of mutant garbage monster in there, that would try to eat her alive.

Either way, the smell which Joey had somehow grown accustomed to and didn't notice any more, was very uninviting to Serenity. She had told him there and then that he had to clean his room, then she turned around and left to buy some groceries, assuring her brother that she expected the room to be clean on her return.

It might sound uncharacteristic of Serenity, but no matter how patient and calm one is, it eventually runs out. She did, however, ask for Joey to clean in the most polite way possible, without losing the firmness or urgency of the request.

Joey attempted to get his legs free of whatever they where stuck in, he was waist deep in random junk. How was he to clean this mess if Serenity left? Wasn't she going to help? She did clean the rest of the apartment by herself, but still it would be nice if she lend a hand anyway. He felt like he was sinking in quicksand. Soon he hit the bottom as he stepped on a banana peal, hidden beneath the many random items on the floor, and slipped falling into the mess, screaming out for help in the process.

"Let me give you a hand," a female voice was heard, but it wasn't his sister's voice. Joey looked up at the blond woman holding out her hand to him and before he could fully process what was happening, he took it, allowing her to help him stand up.

"Mai," Joey voiced, as her presence there sunk in, and his face turned red. He didn't know why, but somehow, he didn't feel comfortable with Mai knowing about his less than organized habits, he wanted to look good for her and this didn't look good.

"Let me help you out of there," Mai held his other hand as well to help Joey maintain his balance on the many random objects on the floor. He nodded letting her lead him away, still surprised that she showed up so suddenly in his room.

The truth was Joey had given Mai a copy of the apartment's key saying that she could come to visit any time she was in Domino city, but when several months passed and she didn't use that key even if she came to visit, so he thought she wouldn't be using it any time soon.

Mai had also ventured into the sea of random items to help Joey swim out and just as they were almost out, Joey stepped on something slippery, most likely another banana peal, and fell forward into Mai. She took several steps back keeping Joey and herself from falling, and just when it looked like they were about to regain their balance, she stepped on a baseball that had rolled out of the mess on the floor and fell back taking Joey with her.

For a moment they just laid there until Mai started laughing, until the laughter caught up with Joey as well. "You're hopeless," she shook her head, though her smile never left. "I was going to invite you to a movie, but it looks like you're busy."

"Yeah, well..." Joey had no idea what excuse he could give her for the state of his closet.

"How about tomorrow? If you're done cleaning," Mai offered.

Joey knew there would be no arguing with her and agreed. Needless to say, his closet was perfectly clean and organized the next day, and it remained that way, just in case. However, there was a lot that could be said about the mess under his bed.

Card 28: Running

The sun would soon set in more ways than one but of course he didn't know it at the time. He didn't realize what was to come until the very second it came, until it was too late. No strange feelings that morning. No unexplainable needs to visit Mokuba. No need what so ever to say things that had remained unsaid for most of his life. No need to plan Kaiba Corp.'s business deals for the next year or so. No need to duel one last duel, those where things that could be done later, tomorrow, or the day after that, because he had the time, right? He had his life ahead of him, right? That's what he always told himself.

Seto had been typing on his high tech computer like he always did. He always arrived at work early and no matter what, he was the CEO, and would always be for the rest of his life, no matter what anyone said. This was his place and it would be for the rest of his life. He thought about his life as he typed. Did he do everything he wanted to do? Certainly not, there were many things he wanted to do while he still lived, but did he do them? Did he even make plans for them? No, he just came to work everyday, workaholic to the end.

Many times people told him that he would die young if he kept being such a workaholic. Obviously he didn't believe it; he liked working, programming, building high tech stuff and all of that, virtual worlds, duel disks, everything high tech. He still liked dueling and playing chess and he would for the rest of his life. Suddenly and for no reason, he wished he had dueled more. He stopped typing and looked away from the computer screen. The office felt so empty now but why? Everything was very quiet, too quiet, it was almost eerie. Memories came as a wild flood that could not be stopped.

Seto shook his head, trying to make the images in his mind go away, maybe he really had overworked, a vacation would be good, the first vacation he ever took since he became the CEO of Kaiba Corp. Yes, he would go on vacation and when he came back everything would be back to normal. It would be the first time someone was left to run his corporation for an extended period of time without even contacting him, but the one he planned to leave in change was ready, he knew it, he was a Kaiba after all.

"What am I thinking?" Why was he suddenly planning to leave and not contact anyone? That wasn't his idea of a vacation, but somehow he felt like that was what would happen. His heart started beating faster and suddenly he felt like running out of his office and jumping on a jet that would take him to a far away place, as if this strange feeling he was getting could be outrun. It couldn't.

Despite his need to get away from whatever was after him, Seto did not move. The room felt so cold, but the air conditioner was off. He turned it off after he started feeling cold a while ago. Not a good sign. How could he have dismissed that as unimportant? He had never felt cold like that before, not even when he had the flu. In fact, he felt sleepy now.

Seto pushed the laptop computer to the corner of his desk after saving his work and turning it off. He laid his head on his arms on the desk. "I'm tired that's all," he said to himself. "I'll be okay," he tried to convince himself, but couldn't. Suddenly it felt like he ran a mile. Metaphorically speaking he did, he ran a race he couldn't win.

His heartbeat went back to normal and he caught his breath. He reached for the phone and began to dial, accepting destiny. He held the phone next to his ear and waited for an answer that took too long to come. The phone began to slip away as he lost grip on it. He let the phone fall and closed his eyes to rest. So cold, so tired...

The sun was setting and its last rays of light touched him by the glass window. He never paid attention to the sunset, but he wished he had. The view must have been good from his office at the top floor of the Kaiba Corp. building. He used to get annoyed when the sun touched his computer screen and reflected off it on his face, but now he didn't close the window like he normally would have.

"Hello?" The voice came from the phone to break the silence of the empty office. Seto Kaiba had ran away.

Card 29: Heartbroken (JoeyxMai)

Joey's Point of View

I run into the light of the sunset in the beach. I remember this place from when I was younger and I used to come here with my little sister. Those were days before I met the ones that are now my best friends, before I met her, before I was heartbroken.

Why did she have to do this? If she didn't like me, if she only wanted to be friends, she could have said so from he beginning. Why did she give me hopes of being something more when she knew all along she was going to let me fall? Those innocent dates as friends only turned into more than that. Why did she let it continue? Why didn't she stop things there and then and just told me? Why did she make me believe she loved me? Or maybe she didn't. Maybe I let my wishful thinking cloud my perception of the situation. Maybe I misinterpreted her friendship for something else. Maybe she wasn't the one sending mixed signals. Maybe I just wasn't listening like I should have. Now I'm heartbroken.

For some time I almost had all that I wanted. Almost, all that I needed to make my life complete was Mai. My sister is cured, I have friends; all I needed was that kind of love that comes from a couple. I wished that things would have worked out between us. That's all I needed for everything to be perfect, but I guess life just can't go my way. It's all a big disappointment, just when I thought things were going my way, something goes wrong. I never get to enjoy the good times enough, they never last long. I always have something to worry about, something to dread in the future near and far. I guess I shouldn't think too much about it. After al,l there's nothing I can do to solve it now. It's a problem without a solution and now I'm just heartbroken.

Sometimes I wish that we could have continued as we were, even if it was all a lie. We could have kept going on those dates as just friends. I would have hung on to the hopes of eventually becoming something more; I still have hopes even if they will never come true. It would have been better than nothing, better than what I have now. I wished that even if you didn't care you pretended that you did, or at least let things be so that I could believe that you did. You didn't have to announce your love to him in such a public place. I didn't need to find out. I don't want to know something that will only make me heartbroken.

Why can't we go back to those happy times? As I watch the sunset I remember the last time I was here. I was here with you that day, just the two of us. We spent the entire day together and had a picnic on the beach. Everything was just perfect. I almost told you how I felt that day, almost. I guess it's a good thing I didn't, since it might have been worse. But then again, it might have been better, because at least then I would have heard it from you instead of finding out for myself, instead of seeing it like I did. As much as I wish it wasn't so, I need to accept the truth. I need to accept the fact that Mai Valentine could never truly love Joey Wheeler as more than just a good friend. It's over, I shouldn't keep insisting when I know it does no good. I'll just have to stay heartbroken.

Yes, it's true, it's over now. I guess that's what I get for getting my hopes up. I should have known from the beginning. I shouldn't have believed it could be possible. I should have given up the second I saw you. Mai Valentine and Joey Wheeler, that's impossible. Yet still, I can't help it but to hope I wouldn't have seen you with him. I rather live in a lie than be heartbroken.

As the sun completely sets and the first stars start to shine, I leave the beach and walk down the lonely streets of Domino city. I'm heading to your apartment Mai. I'm going to tell you how I feel, even if you don't listen. I'm going to let you know, even if it makes things worse, if they can even get worse. I can't let this inside me all my life. I need to let it all out, even if it just makes me more heartbroken.

No one else needs to know. Varon doesn't need to know. Only you Mai, I'll be happy if you just hear me out and find out the truth. You don't need to love me back, just listen to the one who loves you and is heartbroken.

As I arrive I see Varon leaving. I hide and listen to the conversation. "So you understand now? We're still friends right?" Mai asks.

"Yeah, it' alright Mai, I should have know you liked Wheeler. Sorry I stole that kiss from ya in the park. See ya, Mai." Varon leaves without finding me.

I want to punch him for stealing a kiss from her without her consent, yet at the same time I'm so happy to know the truth. I'll tell her about my feelings now that I'm no longer heartbroken.

End POV

More to Come...

Disclaimer, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Oreo. Special thanks to strawberries her type jokes helped inspire Card 23. 


	12. Cards 30 to 36

Duel Deck

Card 30: You Are Gone

Ishizu's Point of View

Lately I haven't been able to name a day in which I'm not hunted by nightmares. I see my little brother Malik, being controlled by a terrible darkness. It's been going on for a long time now, ever since his tomb keeper initiation. At first I would wake up in the middle of the night, biting my tongue so I wouldn't scream. Now the nightmares wake me quietly for a few seconds before I go back to sleep and I remember them clearly in the morning, but at least I get more sleep. I tried to convince myself that they were only nightmares and nothing more.

That day was like any other until he insisted about going outside. He looked at me with pleading eyes. "Please sister, it's only for a little while, please!" How could I say no to my adorable little brother? We would return quickly, no one would notice. Odion offered to stand guard while we went outside, but on our way out I didn't notice the device attached to the door that would alert our father that we left and make Odion pay the price.

When we came back and I noticed the device, I knew we would be in trouble. I planned to take the full blame myself, but it was too late. Father had already blamed Odion for it and the guilt started to eat me away there and then, from that moment on, non-stop. I saw the darkness take over completely. Malik took the millennium rod and sent our father to his doom. He thought Shadii was the one who did it since he appeared there at the time and neither Odion nor I had the heart to tell him who really did it. My poor little brother, I can't help it but to blame myself for this.

As I watch Domino city from Kaiba Craft Three I can't help it but to feel disbelief. Everything appears to be so unreal, but here I am in one final attempt to save my brother. I should have never agreed to go outside. I should have been more careful and thought of the consequences. I should have paid attention to my nightmares. I'll always blame myself for this and I know Odion blames himself too.

Why didn't I protect you? I'm your older sister; I should have been there for you, but there was nothing I could do. When Odion recovered I just stood there to the side. I didn't know what to say or do, I was in too much shock and the events just didn't sink in, I was paralyzed. I feel like I've indirectly pushed you down the cliff into the darkness. I shouldn't have brought you outside, I shouldn't have.

I make my way outside of my room. The fresh air will do me some good. However, there was something I didn't predict, as I walked I saw him. The duels were about to be decided and he was on his way to see who would duel first. I returned to my room in silence. I don't think he saw me. Malik, you're not the same I used to know. You're so different from the one in my memories.

Was this destined to happen no matter what I did? Was there truly no way to change the course of your life? Where my nightmares going to come true anyway? This is a lot worse than all my nightmares put together, this is real and I couldn't stop it from happening.

Malik hold on. I know there's still good in you. I know the real you is still there. There has to be a way to save you and bring you back to the way you were. I wish my nightmares never came true, but they did. Why did that day have to come? Why couldn't we stay the way we were before your tomb keeper initiation?

Maybe deep down I've known all along that this would happen and that there's nothing I can do to stop it. It was going to happen; it was destiny, just like it is the pharaoh's destiny to save us. I just hope that the good part of destiny comes true, not only the bad. I should have known it was inevitable.

I used to be in denial. I used to say I was careful and that it wasn't my fault, but then it changed. Then I took the guilt just as badly as I imagine Odion must be taking it. You couldn't keep the darkness under control without his help. I wish I could have helped you, but I couldn't. I'm not giving up. Maybe I wasn't able to do much to help you then, but I can help you now. I will save you, Malik.

The calm times couldn't last forever. I feel like I've died a thousand deaths already and sometimes I wonder how it is possible that I'm still alive. But even if I'm worried and in more pain that I thought possible, I need to stay strong and not give up hope. I will change the course of destiny for Malik, for my younger brother, and for Odion too, for my older brother.

End of Card 30

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Card 31: Vending Machine Battle

It was a beautiful day in the city of Domino and... well actually no, it was a very ugly day, very cloudy and raining and cold and all that other stuff that makes you want to stay in bed and not get up until next week, but the CEO of Kaiba Corp could not miss a day, hour, minute or second of work, nor could he miss a millisecond, nanosecond and so on.

Today in this very rainy, cloudy and cold day, Seto was having a meeting with the representatives of two well known companies. He couldn't decide what soda machines to put at Kaiba Land. Of course, putting their soda machines there would represent a big revenue for the lucky company, so both were willing to do anything to get that contract.

After hearing their offers, Seto decided he need time to consider this. "I'll call in a few days to let you know." He loved having people beg to do business with Kaiba Corp. This would be fun. Oh the torture of not knowing if they were going to get the contract or not. It was so much fun, for Seto anyway. What he didn't know was that the next few days would be different from what he expected; the next day would come with bribes.

xoxox xox xoxox

As the next day came, this time the sun was shinning in the skies of Domino City, when someone opened the door to Seto's office without knocking. "Hi!" Greeted Mai Valentine, who worked for Pixie, in an overly cheerful tone of voice that was almost scary. "You must be really bored here working all day, so I came to ask you to just get this little contract over with and sign up with Pixie the best drink ever! Why wait? You want to stay ahead of the competition don't you?"

"I am ahead of the competition," Seto replied. "It's you that needs this contract to compete with Yucky Cola, Pixie has a good point the cans are blue and I happen to like blue. Yucky's cans are red, but I might change my mind, I'll let you know in a few days." The desperate yet hopeful look in Mai's face was so amusing to the CEO.

"So Pixie's ahead?" Mai asked and Seto wasn't sure what to answer. Should he tell the truth and say yes or should he torture her by saying no? Oh the choices!

At that very moment, someone else came into the office. "Cheater!" Tea of Yucky Coke exclaimed. Mai just stuck her tongue out at her. Tea ignored this and placed a large paper heart with too much glue on Seto's desk. "This," she pointed at the heart. "Is an offering of friendship from Yucky Cola! Our company is the friendliest ever and we're certainly much friendlier than Pixie!" Seto looked at the deformed and over glued, paper heart that was on his desk. How dare she put this strange artifact on his desk?

Tea saw Seto getting annoyed and tried to think of something. "I'll be your best friend forever if you go with Yucky!" She exclaimed happily as if this was the greatest idea ever.

"I think I'll go with Pixie," Seto immediately decided.

"Yes!" Mai jumped and stated doing a happy dance, which caused both Seto and Tea to stare. After Mai realized she was being stared at and not in the way she liked, she stopped and tried to act normal as if nothing happened.

"Reconsider! I'll be your best friend forever and all my friends will be your friends too!" Tea insisted.

"No," Seto poked the paper heart with a thousand dollar pen because he didn't want to get his expensive pens all gluey.

Tea saw the poking and asked. "Do you like your friendship gift? I made it myself!"

Before Seto could say anything Mai pushed her out of the way. "I have something for you too! Come Joey!" Mai called out but nothing happened. "He's a little shy, wait a moment please." Mai went out of the office and dragged Joey in. He was dressed as a Dalmatian dog. "Isn't he just the cutest little spotty puppy? I know you like Dalmatians and you can even make a coat out of him if you want!"

Upon seeing Joey in a dog suit Seto bust out laughing and as soon as he recovered from almost laughing his head off, the vision of himself a with and back spotted anti gravity fur coat filled his mind.

While Seto was busy imagining himself in the coat, Joey got a small list out of the oversized dog paw glove. "I told you, Mai! The Dalmatian offer is for another company not Kaiba Corp!" Joey showed her the list.

Written in the list where names of many CEOs with whom they where doing business. Next to each name was something that they where planning to use to bribe them with. Dalmatian puppy was listed next to the name Cruella Deville. "Oops wrong bribe, er I mean wrong gift!" Mai quickly pushed Joey out of the office and checked the list for what was written next to Seto's name. "Yugi! Come here Yugi!" A Blue Eyes White Dragon with the millennium puzzle around his neck came in.

Seto was spacing out, imagining himself in an anti gravity spotted coat and didn't notice Yugi at first, but he jumped right off his desk when he finally did and glomped him. "A Blue Eyes White Dragon plushie! Can I have this? Mine! Er... I mean, it's for my brother," Seto trying to look serious after his little outburst.

"Sure!" Mai exclaimed happily. Of course Seto had not noticed that the so called plushie was actually Yugi in a dragon suit.

"You have a deal!" Seto signed the contract for Pixie. Mai ran off to celebrate; the president of Pixie industries would most likely give her a promotion for this deal. Sure he said he would retire, but Pegasus got bored and decided to have a different company.

"I give you my heart and this is what you do?" Tea yelled angrily. "I want my heart back!" She took the gluey paper heart and stormed out of the office, leaving Seto to cuddle his plushie.

Seto sat at his desk with the plushie on his lap. "Who's a cute little Blue Eyes White Dragon? You are!"

'Yami what do we do?' Yugi asked by their mental link.

'Don't ask me,' Yami replied by their mind link also. 'I told you taking that summer job was a bad idea. You better stay still, if Kaiba realizes it's you, he'll get mad and throw us out a window, then the millennium puzzle will break and you'll have to put it together again.'

'The puzzle? Yami, I'm going to break into a million peaces with that kind of fall!' Yugi mentally yelled.

"What's this thing around your neck?" Seto poked the millennium puzzle.

'Yugi do something!' Yami mentally told Yugi.

Yugi did the only thing he could think of at the moment. "Squeak!"

Seto hugged the plushie more. "How cute, a Blue Eyes White Dragon that squeaks when you poke the puzzle!"

'Keep that up Yugi, he has to fall asleep sometime, even Kaiba needs to sleep and then we'll sneak away,' Yami mentally encouraged.

'It's going to be along day,' Yugi thought and it was only morning.

End of Card 31

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Card 32: Cheese

Seto Kaiba was peacefully sleeping in his nice soft bed. He usually didn't get a lot of sleep, but last night, after finishing is work early for once in his life, he tried to catch up with the sleep he had lost over the years, or at least some of it. He hugged his Blue Eyes White Dragon plushie, dreaming that he had a real dragon. In his dream he was flying riding on a Blue Eyes White Dragon in the endless skies. It looked as if nothing could interrupt his angelic peaceful slumber, except maybe his little brother.

"Big brother!" Mokuba yelled at the top of his lungs, as he jumped on Seto. "Good Morning!"

"Good morning Mokuba..." Maybe sleeping wasn't such a good idea. Seto was always left wanting more when he woke up. Maybe he should simply stay awake all the time.

"Go to sleep big brother. I want to make you a special breakfast today!" Mokuba cheered.

"Is that what you came to tell me?" Seto asked. Could it be that his little brother woke him up to tell him to go back to sleep?

It was... "Yup! Go to sleep so I can come surprise you." With that said, Mokuba jumped off Seto and happily skipped out of the room.

Seto fell back into his big, soft fluffy pillow. 'Mokuba is adorable sometimes, but sometimes...' Before he could complete the thought, he fell asleep again. A dream soon came in which he was dueling Yugi.

Just when Seto was about to claim a victory is his dream duel, Mokuba woke him up. "Wake up big brother!"

Seto jumped and immediately sat up. "Mokuba, don't scream in my ear!"

"But look what I brought you!" Mokuba was holding a plate and a glass of juice. "I made you a special breakfast!"

"How much sugar did you eat this morning?" Seto asked.

"Only a little," Mokuba was hyper as ever.

"How much?" Seto repeated the question.

"Three pounds!" Mokuba confessed.

Seto shook his head. "Mokuba, I told you to stop eating that much sugar."

"Don't you like your breakfast?" Mokuba had the chibi eyes. A flawless self defense mechanism that all little kids have.

"Of course I like the breakfast," Seto immediately said.

"Only like?" Again with the chibi eyes of doom.

"I love it! It looks delicious," Seto was full of false enthusiasm. "Is this lemonade?" The liquid in the glass looked yellow, but it wasn't liquid enough to be lemonade.

"It's cheese juice," Mokuba smiled.

"Cheese juice?" Seto didn't know such a thing existed and if it didn't, Mokuba just invented it. Seto wasn't sure drinking his brother's experiment would be good for his stomach.

"Yup! I made that up. I melted some cheese into juice. Try it, it's good!" Mokuba watched, waiting for his brother to drink the juice.

'Ah, the things I do to deserve that' Seto thought as he glanced at a framed certificate on the wall. It was drawn with crayons and it proved that Seto was the 'bestest big brother in the world'. He tried to drink the 'liquid' cheese which left him quite thirsty for something that was actually meant to be a drink.

"Do you like it?" Mokuba asked.

"It's great," Seto forced a smile. The idea of cheese juice wasn't a terrible one, but it definitely needed work.

"Try your breakfast now," Mokuba insisted.

Seto looked at the plate. The food in it looked like pancakes with cheese on top. He tried them and discovered what burnt cheese tasted like. His eyes watered from how hot the burnt cheese was, but he forced himself to smile. "Mmm!" Seto dared not open his mouth to speak, for he knew he wouldn't resist the urge to spit out the burning burnt cheese. Sure he liked cheese as much as the next guy, but not like this.

"I'm happy you liked them. I cooked them myself, from cheese," Mokuba smiled happily.

Was the cheese of the world out to get Seto today? "That's very original, why did you use cheese for everything?" Seto asked as soon as he was able to force the cheese down his throat.

"Because it's nice and easy to prepare. Besides, you like cheese. You always get extra cheese on your pizza and put lots of cheese on your sandwiches and stuff like that." The hyper Mokuba replied.

Sadly for Seto, Mokuba didn't move until Seto finished his breakfast. Then it was time to get ready for work. With the beginnings of a stomachache, Seto prepared himself for another day at Kaiba Corporation, even if it was Saturday.

Things were not looking good for the CEO, who slipped as he went down the stairs. He rolled down the stairs and needless to say, that had to hurt. He noticed the cause of this accident was a piece of slippery half melted cheese he stepped on. Mokuba must have dropped it when he was bringing breakfast.

"Big brother, are you okay?" Mokuba rushed over.

"I'm fine." If Seto didn't know better, he would think the cheese was out to kill him today.

So the Kaiba brothers finally left. Mokuba was left at Yugi's house after he asked for the millionth time if he could go. Maybe the day was improving for Seto. At least he knew his rival would have a hyper boy to deal with. Revenge is sweet, never better said.

Upon arriving at work, Seto stepped in the elevator and went to his office at the top floor. It was another uneventful day full of work, work and more work. At least the cheese was making a temporary truce with him. That is until Mokuba called and insisted that he came to the park for a 'friendly group activity'. He had to get that kid away from Tea.

Not too happy about it, but for Mokuba's sake, Seto left towards the park, though he specified that he would only be there during his lunch hour, which he usually didn't take anyway. He always stayed in his office working and ate if he had time to do it, while working.

Arriving at the park, Seto noticed that Yugi and his friends Joey, Tristan, Tea and Ryou were having a picnic with a lot of cheese. "Isn't this great big brother? We're having a cheese picnic. It was my idea because you liked your breakfast so much."

Of course Seto was invited, in other words forced, to join them in the cheesy cheese picnic, no pun intended. Not only did Seto have to eat cheese, but was forced to say the word every time Tea wanted to take a picture to add to her friendship album, which was about every ten seconds.

Then the spirit of the Millennium Ring took over and caused cheesy trouble. No one knew where all that cheese came from. Some say it came from the Shadow Realm, but it must have been sent to the Shadow Realm in the first place in order to come out of it. The park and all those who were there, ended up covered in cheese. The event was later known as the Cheese Blizzard and would always be remembered.

As for Seto, he wouldn't look at snowmen, snow angels and snow ball fights the same way after seeing those things being done with cheese instead of snow. At least it wouldn't take too long for the park to get cleaned up with the Joey the mutt eating all the cheese.

The next day, Seto thought about those strange events, stubbornly refusing to believe it was magic, as he continued catching up on his work while enjoying a cheese sandwich. After all, no one can stay mad at cheese for too long.

End of Card 32

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Card 33: Returning Home

Seto Kaiba's Point of View

I stop and stare at it strangely, as if it was the first time I saw it, yet I know I've seen it many times before, many years ago. Those were the good days. This house has been forgotten for a long time, after our father died and Mokuba and I were sent off to live with relatives, the house went for sale. It wasn't our choice but they wouldn't let me have a say in the matter, they thought I was too young to decide.

In the end we kept moving around until we were sent to an orphanage. I guess they just wanted to make a little cash out of us and send us away when they were done. It's a good thing no so called family had dared to show their face now that I own Kaiba Corp. because I just don't know what I would do, but I know it won't be good.

Today Mokuba is off somewhere with Yugi and his friends. He seemed a little surprised when I gave him permission to go without much argument. It was as if he expected me to at least criticize them before agreeing, but I didn't, this is exactly what I needed, the chance to inspect the house alone without Mokuba knowing. I will tell him I bought it back, I will bring him here, I'm sure he'll like coming here once more, but I need to have a look around by myself first.

I didn't come in the black limousine that usually takes me everywhere. I needed to come here completely alone. I parked my car in front of the house and stood there looking at it for a few seconds. Several people walked by, giving me strange looks, thinking I didn't notice them. I hear children playing not to far away, but everything's a distant echo in the silence.

No one has lived here in a long time. The previews owners abandoned the place. The house isn't in the best conditions anymore, but it's not falling apart either. Finally, I let myself in using the key I got when I bought the house back.

As I close the front door, I can't help it but to stare at the porch for just a moment. I remember when mother was expecting Mokuba, one afternoon after school she just sat there in the porch watching the neighborhood's children play. I came by and sat down also, she asked if I was going to play with the other kids, but I decided to stay there and we sat there talking about random things and thinking up names for the baby. Calling him Mokuba was my idea.

I closed the door letting the memories fade away from my mind and walked around the empty house. The furniture that was once here is gone, who knows where it is now, or if it even still exists. Each empty room brings back a story, my parents' room, Mokuba's room and my room. I stand at the door to my old room and imagine my younger self there. So innocent and carefree, so much like Mokuba still is. Too bad that boy is gone now; I admit I miss him sometimes, but certain changes were needed, it was inevitable, at least Mokuba wasn't the one who had to change.

I walk around the house a little more, I'm not looking for any specific thing; I'm just looking around and remembering. I remember that time when I was watching TV with my parents thinking, that things would always stay that way. I remember waking up on a Saturday morning to the scent of freshly baked muffins and having breakfast with mom and dad. Should I really bring Mokuba here?

I press my back against the wall and let my self slide down and sit on the floor. To bring Mokuba here would be like returning to a past I left behind a long time ago, but if I did leave the past behind, then why couldn't I resist the urge to buy this house when I found out it was for sale? I regret some of the things I've done in the past and I can't help it but to wonder if one day I'll look back on this day and realize it was all a big mistake.

Yet Mokuba is not like me. He doesn't want to leave the past behind like I do. He wants to remember those days before Gozaburo came. I know he would like to come here, I know he wants to learn more about the place where we once lived. I know is that he will have many questions. Maybe that's why I'm having second thoughts about bringing Mokuba here. Maybe he's ready for this but I'm not, maybe I'm not ready to answer all the questions that I know will come. Mokuba has always looked up to me and I can't let him down now.

I get up and walk around some more. This time when memories come I let them flood my mind to the fullest. I'm not going to hold the past back anymore. I'll leave the past behind, but I'll leave behind only the parts I don't like and always remember the good things and the lessons learned, what makes us who we are. I think I finally understand what Yugi tried to tell me during our duel in Battle City. Mokuba probably understood it long before I did, but it took me this long, better late than never I guess.

I get up and head off to the backyard. I expect it to be somewhat depressing, given the fact that this house hasn't had any maintenance in years. As I open the backdoor I see that the grass is overgrown, the plants have taken over and the paint is falling off the walls. The back of the house looks even more abandoned than the front, yet it's not depressing at all, it's peaceful.

I walk around the many plants, flowers have grown everywhere. I'm not a nature person, but I have to admit this looks beautiful, as if nature itself is healing the past. This looks like something out of a movie, but it's real and it's mine. Yes, I'm definitely bringing Mokuba here and I'll answer all his questions in the best way I can. I'm sure he'll be happy to see I'm no longer avoiding the past.

Tomorrow, we'll come back tomorrow and have a picnic here. I'll just have to call Roland and tell him to supervise and make sure everyone's doing their job in Kaiba Corp. I'm taking the day off, it's very unlike me, but this time I'll make an exception, even if it's just to put the past to rest.

End POV

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"Where are we going big brother?" Mokuba asked the next day. It was quite strange that his brother wasn't at work today. They were in Seto's car instead of the limousine and going to a neighborhood Mokuba didn't fully recognize, yet at the same time it was so familiar.

"We're going somewhere special," Seto didn't reveal the details of his plan yet. Mokuba looked at the houses, the people walking around, a few children playing. Why did this place look so familiar? Then he remembered, he was very young the last time he was here, but he remembered. "Seto, are we going back to..."

Mokuba didn't finish but Seto understood. "Sounds like you figured it out."

Mokuba smiled, he had wanted to ask about the place where they used to live, he needed help remembering, but he didn't want to bother his brother with something he didn't want to talk about.

Finally they arrived in the house and just as Seto had planned they had a picnic in the backyard, just like they did with their father long ago. Mokuba asked many questions, as Seto had expected, but he was surprised and relieved to find that his little brother's questions were not as hard to answer as he thought they would be.

End of Card 33

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Card 34: The Truck's Box

Today Kaiba Corp was going to send a shipment of Duel Disks to a store in the other side of the country. Seto Kaiba was personally supervising the procedure, waiting for an opportunity to fire someone over the most simple and insignificant mistake. It was like part of his job to fire people and he didn't feel like his job was complete until he did so. Being the workaholic Seto is, he needed to feel like his job was done completely everyday or he would go insane.

Seto decided to inspect the cargo looking for flaws, yet every Duel Disk box was neatly placed in top of the other in even piles, carefully positioned to maximize the truck's space. Seto examined everything closer, almost whishing there was a flaw so he could fire someone over it, then he realized that there could be something he could use as an excuse after all.

The truck was to leave at 10:00 in the morning exactly and it was almost that time. If the truck didn't move by then, Seto would have a good enough reason to fire someone. He told himself that contrary to what most people said, his obsession with firing people, among other obsessions, was not unhealthy. He told himself that he was just being a good responsible CEO who only wants the best for his corporation. So he sat down inside the truck to wait excitedly for the wonderful time of the happy firing to come.

Time passed slowly as Seto grew more and more impatient to fire someone, but of course he couldn't fire himself. He considered himself to be too cute to be fired, not to mention smart, adorable, nice, cool, sweet, yummy and around all perfect. He took a small mirror out of the pocket of his oh so cool anti-gravity coat and began to admire his ultimate perfection in it, smiling at his reflection.

While Seto thought about how incredibly cute he was, Yugi, who was bored because he had nothing to do, and we all know that having nothing to do is an excellent reason to be bored, had come over for a friendly duel, that deep down he knew would turn into an all out Duel Monsters battle between Seto Kaiba and the Yami of the Millennium Puzzle, but Yugi was too bored to be bothered by that little fact.

"Kaiba! I was looking for you, why are you sitting in the," Yugi paused for a moment, searching for the right word, which didn't come, so he just blurted out the closest thing. "In the box of a truck?" Yugi paused for a moment again, then out of no where pointed at Seto's face and said. "You have blue eyes!" As if it was a big discovery that no one else knew about.

Seto blinked his aforementioned pretty blue eyes, as a sign of total confusion. "You found out just now?" The CEO asked in disbelief, thinking that by now everyone knew what his eye color was.

"Yeah," Yugi placed a hand behind his head, as all anime characters do in situations like this particular one. "I've never seen you literally eye to eye. I thought your eyes where purple."

Now that Seto was sitting and Yugi was standing, they had seen each other for the first time literally eye to eye. Seto rolled his not purple, blue eyes.

"It's not my fault you're too tall." the classic anime sweat drop appeared on the side of Yugi's head. Before the blue eyed bishonen could comment on the fact that Yugi is too short to see his eye color properly and it's not that he was too tall, Yugi was the first to speak. "Wanna duel?"

Of course the cute blue eyes bishounen did not refuse, but before the duel could start, the doors on the back of the truck's box were automatically closed, pushing Seto and Yugi inside. They found themselves in complete darkness inside the truck's box, as the truck began to move. Loud rock music could be heard playing from the front of the truck, making it impossible for the driver to hear Seto screaming at the top of his lungs that he was fired.

After yelling for a while, Seto and Yugi gave up and accepted the fact that they were stuck inside the truck's box until the truck stopped and they were let out, given that fact that the truck's box automatic doors could not be opened from the inside. Seto was angry over the fact that he missed the chance of firing someone and he was wasting precious time that he could use to obsessively work.

The first thing Seto would do when he got out of the truck's box was fire the stupid truck driver for not checking the box before closing the automatic doors to see if there are any people there and then he would remove all radios from the Kaiba Corp trucks. Not that Seto didn't like rock, he liked it as much as the next bishonen, but he blamed the music for the fact that the truck driver couldn't hear them. He did regret not installing an air conditioner inside the truck's box, because the temperature was very hot due to the sun heating the metal box of the truck.

"Kaiba it's a little hot in here, could you turn on the air conditioner?" Yugi's request remained unanswered and Seto was thankful for the darkness so Yugi couldn't see the panic in his face.

To admit there was no air conditioner was to admit he wasn't high tech enough. Yugi must not know about this embarrassing situation, no one must ever know that his so called high tech trucks didn't have air conditioner in the box, even if they did have it in the driver's area where it wasn't as important. "I don't want to turn on the air conditioner. I'm perfectly fine the way I am," Seto tried to sound like he meant it, but he was really melting alive, just like Yugi.

"You'd think Kaiba would put an air conditioner in this thing!" A voice that was not Yugi's or Seto's was heard.

"Why would he put an air conditioner in the truck's box?" A different voice was heard that also did not belong to Yugi or Seto.

"Who's there?" Seto demanded to know how was in his truck.

"Is that Kaiba?" The first voice asked.

"Yes, I'm Seto Kaiba, owner of this truck, who are you?" The voice sounded familiar somehow.

A match was lit and there stood Yami Marik and Yami Bakura. "I am the darkness!" Yami Marik answered Seto's question.

The one holding the match was Bakura. "No, I am the darkness!" After that correction, he just grinned, resisting the urge to carry out his plan of setting the Kaiba Corp trucks on fire, but he didn't do it given the fact that he was supposed to be outside of it before doing that.

Why was Yami Bakura trying to set the truck on fire? Because he claimed that Yami Marik was stealing his place as the bad guy bishonen and he had to do something bad to get it back. However Marik thought the same about Bakura stealing his place as the bad guy bishonen and decided to put dynamite on the Kaiba Corp trucks but he forgot to bring matches. So once again they formed an alliance.

The two villains were discussing the terms of said alliance behind the piles of Duel Disk boxes, when Marik pointed out the lack of air conditioner and that brings us to the present time. The match burned out and the four bishonen trapped in the truck's box sat in silence, neither had the energy to do anything else given the current temperature.

The fact that the trip was long became apparent, so they occupied themselves by complaining about the heat; all except Seto, who was still in denial. Yami Bakura and Yami Marik had tried going back to their items and leaving their hikaris to suffer the heat, but the golden items had heated even more, so they instead materialized in separate bodies.

Seto, who was the only one who claimed to be fine and insisted that there was an air conditioner but he just didn't want to turn it on, was now starting to worry that his precious Duel Disks would melt. By now the others did not believe there was an air conditioner and they just left Seto to his denial of not being high tech enough to put an air conditioner in the truck's box.

Yami Marik and Yami Bakura had separated from their hikaris because they thought it wasn't fair that only they suffered this heat, even if it was their fault. Yami Yugi aka Atemu came out of the puzzle because it was too hot inside, a lot more than it had ever been in Ancient Egypt. So we have seven half melted bishies in a truck's box when the truck suddenly stops.

The loud rock music stopped and they could hear what was going on outside. "Sure, I'll give you two a ride," they heard the truck driver say.

Seto was beyond angry by now, not only was he trapped inside his own truck's box, but the driver was giving random people rides. The seven bishonen who didn't even have the energy to alert the driver of their presence as they melted, just listened to the conversation going on in the front of the truck.

"So you two went on a trip together and didn't take your car because you where afraid your friends would recognize it and you're supposed to be dating in secret?" The driver asked after hearing the guy tell that exact same story. A stupid question indeed, why did he ask what he was just told? He was so fired.

"That's right!" The guy replied, and this was followed by the sound of said guy being slapped.

"Big mouth, the reason we didn't take my car was so no one would know, but the taxi didn't arrive and if we're not in Domino they'll suspect, but you didn't have to tell anyone about that," a girl said.

"Don't worry Mai, they'll never know!" The guy said.

So the girl was Mai. "Quiet Joey, I knew we should have taken my car!" They where Joey and Mai, why they wanted to stay a secret, no one knew.

The truck finally arrived at its destination, the trip was over and now only the trip back remained, but the bishounen would melt before then. "I'll just unload the Duel Disks here and head on back to Domino and I won't tell anyone about you two so don't worry, just don't mention to my boss I gave you a ride." The driver told Mai and Joey as he got off the truck and opened the truck's box to find seven sets of clothes and a lot of water.

Some of the water appeared to be trying to speak. The driver, ignoring the fact that it was illogical for water to speak, brought his ear closer to that portion of the water and heard the water say. "You're fired!"

End of Card 34

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Card 35: Fireflies

"You want me to what?" Rex was unsure if he had heard Weevil's words correctly. It couldn't be true, it just couldn't.

"I want to stop being obsessed with bugs and I want you to cure me," Weevil also had trouble believing the words that came out of his mouth, but it had to be done.

"Weevil bugs are your life!" Rex want it to sound mean and normally Weevil would laugh and say it's true, but not today.

"My life sucks and I want to change it. You're my best friend and I thought you would like to help, but if not I'll leave." Weevil got up from the park bench and started walking away.

Rex quickly followed him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, don't run off like that."

Weevil turned to face him. "Are you going to help, yes or no?"

"Yes," Rex was still in disbelief, but the fact that Weevil wanted to quit his life long obsession had started to sink in a little bit. "But first tell me why do you want to quit liking bugs? If anyone told me I should quit my dinosaur obsession, I would say they're crazy."

"But dinosaurs are not like bugs!" Weevil argued.

Rex grinned, "of course not, they're a lot cooler."

"I thought we already had that discussion," Weevil glared, "and after having that discussion for a long time, we agreed to disagree."

"I know," Rex recalled. "Anyway, what's your point?" They had walked back to the park bench and sat down again.

"Have you ever met a girl who likes bugs?" Weevil asked.

"No, not really," Rex admitted.

"Exactly, have you met a girl who likes dinosaurs?" Weevil asked again.

"Yes, but not as much as me. It's a liking, not an obsession, but yes, I have met a few girls who like dinosaurs." Rex replied.

"That's my point, when ever a girl sees a bug she goes 'ew a bug! Yuck how creepy! Kill it, kill it!' It's very cruel but it's true," it made Weevil sad just to think about it. "Sometimes they step on the bug quickly and sometimes they're even too creeped out to kill it themselves and throw things at it, or ask someone else to kill it for them."

"I'll admit I've never hard a girl say 'ew a dinosaur! Yuck how creepy! Kill it, kill it!'" Rex smiled as if laughing at his own joke. "I haven't seen a girl stepping on a dinosaur either, in fact I haven't seen anyone stepping on a dinosaur."

"Rex, I'm serious!" Weevil was amused.

"Sorry, it's just so unbelievable. This won't be as easy as it was to stop wearing my favorite hat," Rex said ran a hand through his hair.

"What happened to that hat anyway?" Weevil had noticed the missing hat before, but didn't dare ask, in case Rex had lost it and would feel bad talking about it.

"I got rid of it. People kept telling me I should lose the hat and I finally decided to take their advice. If anyone asks, I say I threw it away, but I didn't have the heart to do it so I kept it and only wear it to sleep," Rex explained.

"I see... So do you have any ideas about what to do with my bug obsession?" Weevil stopped and looked ahead. The sun had set while they sat there in the park bench and a few fireflies came out. "Stay very quiet and still," Weevil reached into his pocket and pulled out a little bottle with a strange liquid. He picked up a random leaf without taking his eyes off the fireflies near by and put some of the liquid in the leaf. He sat down again and held out his hand. The fireflies came and stood on the leaf.

Rex knew that if he made any sudden movements that could scare away the fireflies and upset Weevil, besides the fireflies are kind of nice even if they're not as cool as dinosaurs. After Weevil finally set the leaf down near some bushes, Rex asked. "What was that stuff you put on the leaf?"

"It's a special kind of food I prepared for fireflies. It has everything they need to stay healthy and strong," Weevil proudly declared.

"You haven't changed your mind about being cured of your bug obsession, have you?" Rex inquired.

That's when the meaning of his resolution hit Weevil. No more studying bugs, no more watching them for hours and learning new thing, no more obsession. "I would like to at least be able to hide it better so I don't creep people out." Weevil watched the fireflies with fascination, he couldn't let it all go.

"Look!" They heard a female voice not too far from there, it was Serenity.

"They're beautiful" A different voice added, this was Mai.

"They look like they're dancing" A third girl commented, Tea.

"Everything looks like it's dancing to you Tea," Mai laughed.

"I guess so," Tea smiled, "but they really do look like they're dancing."

"Fireflies are so pretty," Serenity watched them.

"I guess girls don't find all bugs to be creepy after all," Weevil happily concluded as he witnessed the scene.

"What was that?" Serenity suddenly felt something near her foot.

"A beetle!" Tea pointed at the offending insect that had jumped off Serenity and was now on the ground.

"Ew, a beetle!" Serenity quickly backed away. The beetle didn't sting her or anything, but it still scared out. "I wish Joey was here so he could step on it!" Serenity continued to back away without taking her eyes off the beetle.

"It's so creepy and ugly, so not like the fireflies, maybe if we leave and come back later it'll be gone." Tea felt silly because something as small as a bug was driving them away from the fireflies they liked.

"No way," Mai was determined, "that bug is not the boss of me!"

"You're right, that bug won't scare us!" Tea agreed.

"Right, I'll be brave from over here," Serenity was the one furthest away from the beetle.

"Aw c'mon it's just a bug," Mai, the bravest of the three, kicked the bug away, sending it flying into a tree. The bug hit the tree then fell to the ground.

"Murderer!" Weevil screamed at the top of his lungs before bolting in the direction the bug had fallen.

Rex stood there for a moment, as the girls directed odd looks at him and Weevil. Rex smiled nervously and waved. The three girls had not seen them until Weevil had to open his big mouth.

"So who's up for ice-cream?" Mai suddenly asked.

"I am!" Serenity cheerfully said.

"Me too!" Tea agreed. "We'll need the energy of a lot of sugar to dance the night away!"

"Party!" The girls three cheered and ran out of the park towards Mai's car.

"Is everything okay?" Rex asked Weevil, after the girls were gone.

"Yeah, he's alive, just a little dizzy, but he'll be fine." Weevil gently placed the beetle on the ground and watched it run away in a zigzag.

"I wasn't asking about the beetle, I was asking about you," Rex clarified.

"Oh, yeah I'm alright," Weevil replied. "I don't think I could ever stop liking bugs, just like you could never stop liking dinosaurs."

"I guess you're right," Rex agreed. "You know, even if girls don't find dinosaurs as creepy as bugs, I'm pretty sure any girl would get bored after talking to me for just one day."

"I'd say one hour or less, but at least she would talk to you for a little while." Weevil got up from the ground.

"Maybe we just haven't met the right girls yet. Maybe we should just stop worrying so much and be ourselves." Rex started to walk out of the park with Weevil.

Weevil smiled, "I guess your right and no matter what happens we'll always be best friends with incurable obsessions!"

End of Card 35

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Card 36: Fan Girl Catcher

Kimo's Point of View

When people hear the words fan girl catcher they immediately think of a bishonen. When I tell them I am a fan girl catcher, they laugh at my less than bishieful face. Even so, the truth is that I am a fan girl catcher; I'm the one that catches the annoying fan girls and locks them up in the fan girl dungeon so they stop bothering the bishonen until a sane family member comes to escort them home. It's not an easy job and it's not always fun, but it's my job and I do it well.

It appears that Domino City turned out to be the bishonen's favorite place to live, just like Hollywood is the favorite place for actors and actresses to live. It was in this city where I, the first fan girl catcher, came to be. My name is Kimo, ex employee of Maximillion Pegasus, now employed by Seto Kaiba. My job is to defend all bishonen, specially my boss, from insane, rabid fan girls.

After the entire Duelist Kingdom thing, Pegasus fired me and I was left jobless for a while, until this job became available. Of course something had to happen for the idea to take place. I still remember walking down the street one afternoon when I saw four guys running in my direction completely panicked. One of them was Seto Kaiba, the other was Yugi Moto, there was a white haired guy who's name I can't remember, but I'm sure I've seen him before, possibly in Duelist Kingdom and there was a blond.

The guys ran pass me, being chased by four rampaging fan girls who bumped into me and fell back. The girls screamed every insult known to the human race, blaming me for letting their precious bishonen escape. Later, Kaiba returned, this time in the safety of his limousine and offered to hire me for a special new job.

Being the fan girl catcher isn't easy and I have many scars to prove it. For now I'm just the fan girl catcher, since there tends to be more fan girls than fan boys, but if need be I'll be the fan boy catcher as well, at least boys don't have sharp colorful claws. Specking of which, I see a girl carrying a Kaiba plushie heading in the general direction of the Kaiba Corporation building. I mentally prepare myself to drag her to the truck and lock her up where she can't hurt anyone and approach. "Excuse me miss, this is a restricted area, if you're here for an autograph or a picture you'll need to show me your pass."

She has long sharp-looking blue nails which I honestly don't want to find on my throat. Maybe it may sound like I'm overly paranoid, but I know from experience that fan girls are far stronger and deadlier than anyone can imagine. I've had a few close calls and ended up in the hospital several times. Even fighting one on one, these girls are dangerous.

She gently pets the top of the plushie's head playing with his hair. "Don't be silly Kimo, I'm allowed to be here. Don't you remember?"

I don't know if she's saying this to lower my guard or if she means it. She looks familiar, but I'm not sure if I've seen her before. I must be alert in case she pulls out a weapon out of no where and tries to use it. I wonder if that plushie is a bomb or if she has a mallet hidden where the laws of physics dictate it shouldn't fit. "I need to see your pass," I insist.

She shakes her head at me as if I'm making a stupid mistake by insisting. "A tag will just have to do," she removes a silver necklace and hands it to me. The necklace has two tags attached, one with her information and one with a picture of Seto Kaiba, this is her pass. I take my little tag scanner from my pocket and scan the tags to make sure they're real and they are. I'm actually relived; I've fought enough crazy girls with sharp claws today and hide many blood stained bandages under my uniform.

Fan girls who have proven that they will not hurt the bishonen have tags, which they are required to carry with them at all times while they are in Domino City. Some fan girls can be quite violent even if they claim to love the bishonen they're trying to kill and but then it occurs to me that the fact still remains that even if the tags are real, they might be stolen. The fan girl who these tags belong to was here a few days ago and this girl isn't her, or is she?

The only thing I find the same are her long blue claws and the plushie, but her hair is different. Of, course how could I miss it, it's just dye, I'm being paranoid, the tags belong to her. I return the tags. "You may go..." In a moment of curiosity I ask before she leaves, "why do girls change the color of their hair so often?"

Hugging her plushie she answers, "because we can." She checks her GPS, modified to track Kaiba no doubt, then she runs off.

This fan girl visits Kaiba often; she won't hurt him, at least not too much. The occasional literally breath taking glomp is inevitable, but Kaiba has never been seriously injured and the girl is good with technology so she helps out at Kaiba Corp. The funny thing is that unlike most fan girls this one has a very bad sense of direction.

We can't fully keep the fan girls away so we give them the chance to visit their favorite bishonen if they behave well. If we tried to keep them away completely they would put up an all out war and the world as we know it may be doomed.

I continue patrolling around the city in my truck full of fan girls. They're so noisy in there, but I don't have to worry because this truck is fan girl proof. The only one that managed to escape was the one named Mary Sue, she had all kinds of strange powers. She's in the most wanted list, or should I say the most unwanted list, at the very top. I was instructed to call for reinforcements if I saw her and a jet armed with Sue seeking missiles would come to my aid.

In conclusion, it's a dangerous job but someone has to do it so it might as well be me, besides Kaiba pays me more than Pegasus used to, so even if I get used as a human punching bag and scratching post by those crazy girls, I'm better off now than when I worked for Pegasus. Don't forget to carry your tags at all times, I'll watching for your own safety and the safety of your loved ones.

End POV

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Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or 101 Dalmatians. Card 32 was requested by Ileana Dubaer, a story about Seto and cheese. Card 36 "Fan Girl Catcher" was inspired by Angie-chan. 


	13. Cards 37 to 40

Duel Deck

**Card 37: Shadow Emerald**

His foot steps echoed in the dark quiet alley as he ran for his life in the middle of the night. He turned the corner and slipped on the water that covered the streets of Domino city and continued to fall from the skies. He got up quickly and once again ran, only to find that in his haste he had turned the wrong way and was at a dead end, never better said.

He turned to face the one who had been chasing him. Ryou did not know how he got there or why was he being chased. His yami had taken control and the next thing he knew, he was there, running for his life. Who was the man that chased him? Did he chase him because of Bakura?

Ryou tried to look at the man's face, but under the black cape that completely covered him, he saw nothing but darkness. Thunder crashed lighting the alley temporarily, making the metal of the long dagger the man held shine.

Ryou held on to the Millennium Ring, expecting Bakura to take control any second and do something about this man that threatened his life for a reason unknown to Ryou. Bakura wouldn't let him get killed, he needed the vessel alive. Maybe Bakura just let him run to scare him and he was always watching, ready to take over if needed. That's what Ryou hoped.

The man came closer, pointing the dagger at Ryou's throat. The white haired boy pushed his back against the wall, as if he wanted to go through it. He truly wished he was on the side of that wall, even if he didn't know what the building behind him was, anything was better than this.

"Bakura!" Ryou tried to force Bakura out of his soul room and in control of the vessel, but nothing happened. That's when he noticed that he felt like something was missing. He had the Millennium Ring around his neck but he did not feel connected to it, as if it was just another inanimate object with nothing special or unusual, with no spirit. Ryou knew then that wherever Bakura was, he wasn't in the Millennium Ring. How he left it was unknown.

The man moved quickly and stood in front of Ryou. His footsteps, unlike Ryou's, made no sound, as if he was floating a few inches above the street. Terror took over Ryou as he tried to fight this stranger, yet he didn't escape.

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The first rays of sunlight reached the bloodstained alley where Ryou lay dead with a deep cut in his throat. The Millennium Ring was still around his neck. If the stranger did not take it, then what was his reason for killing Ryou?

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When Ryou did not show up in school, Yugi and his friends began to worry. Their first thought was that Bakura has something to do with it, so Yugi and Yami volunteered to go to Ryou's house and find out if Bakura didn't let him go to school.

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To Yugi's surprise, Ryou's house was unlocked but empty. In fact, the door was wide open, it was a miracle no thieves came, but then again, people around the neighborhood had learned to stay away from the boy who lived there. Ryou didn't know what Bakura did to scare everyone, but no one besides his closest friends talked to him, or even came near him. It was clear by the opened door that when Ryou, or Bakura if he was in control, left, he left in a hurry, but why and to where?

Many questions filled Yugi's mind as his worry grew. "Maybe he just went out and will return soon," Yami materialized in a separate body outside the Millennium Puzzle, trying to calm his hikari. Yugi nodded and went to sit down in the living room to wait for Ryou. After waiting for a few minutes, Yami felt a presence in the room. "Shadii?"

"Yes, my pharaoh," Shadii appeared. "I bring terrible news. A creature of darkness has escaped from the Shadow Realm. This creature is a killer; it kills the vessel and eats the memories. The souls of those who are its victims wonder endlessly in the darkest deepest part of the Shadow Realm in agony, with no idea who they where, or how they got there. I tried to stop it, but its energy is nearly impossible to track. I fear I was too late and it already took a life."

Yugi stared at Shadii, he needed to know if by this he meant Ryou, but he was also afraid to ask, as if deep down he knew the answer and didn't want to hear it. "Ryou?" Yami finally asked.

Shadii nodded, "the spirit of the Millennium Ring as well."

It was true that Bakura didn't have a vessel but it was the memories that this creature fed upon, the vessel just got in the way, so it had to kill it first. It didn't matter if Bakura didn't have memories from Ancient Egypt, he remembered what happened since the day he was awakened from the Millennium Ring and those memories were enough.

Yugi shook his head in disbelief. "No, Ryou can't be dead!"

Shadii vowed. "I apologize; I could not save him even if I tried my best. Ryou and the spirit of the Millennium Ring will eternally be in the Shadow Realm."

As it all began to sink in, tears fell from Yugi's eyes. Yami hugged him and tried to make him calm down.

"My pharaoh, the creature is still out there. I will try to capture it as soon as possible and lock it in the Shadow Realm. Unfortunately, I do not know of a way of permanently destroying it, be careful." After this warning, Shadii disappeared.

Yugi sat there crying for a while and soon it got to Yami. "Yugi please don't cry or you'll make me cry too," Yami held back tears. He never cared much for the tomb robber, but Ryou was Yugi's friend. Either way, not even the tomb robber deserved this.

Yugi looked at Yami. "We have to find that thing and destroy it!"

Yami stared wide eyed at his hikari for a few seconds. Even Shadii said he didn't know how to destroy the creature and Yugi wanted to go after it? "Let's not be hasty, I know you wish to avenge Ryou's death, but losing your own life and memories won't help."

Yugi sighed. "I know, I just want to do something about this."

Yami placed a hand on Yugi's shoulder. "We will do something about this, we'll find a way to save Ryou from the Shadow Realm and destroy this creature of darkness."

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A few days passed and Ryou's body was found and identified by the police. His father, who was currently in Egypt was contacted and came only for a few hours to the funeral. Everyone was there. Marik came all the way from Egypt and stayed for much longer than Mr. Bakura. Yugi felt angry at Mr. Bakura because he didn't seem to care too much about his son.

Ishizu sat in a corner quietly. She feared that this creature of darkness Yugi told her about when he called, would take even more lives and felt sad for those who were suffering, trapped in the worse parts of the Shadow Realm.

Marik, Yugi, Joey, Tristan, Tea, Mai and Duke sat next to each other in the first and second row at the funeral, crying quietly or holding back tears. Even if some had not been very close to Ryou, they felt an unexplainable sadness.

When Mokuba heard about Ryou's death, he was especially affected. Seto did not understand what happened to his little brother to make him act this way. Mokuba practically begged Seto to go to the funeral. Seto saw Mokuba so sad he didn't have the heart to refuse, so they went.

Seto sat in the back quietly, not wanting to get involved with the all the crying, even if he suddenly felt very sad also. It was as if there was something in the atmosphere that brought unexplained sadness to everyone there, even those who didn't know Ryou very well.

Mokuba at first didn't want to go inside; it was as if he was terrified to find all those sad people he knew would be there. Seto had offered to leave, but Mokuba wouldn't. He sat next to his brother crying a little loudly, but obviously doing his best to keep quiet. They stayed there until the place had to close.

xoxox xox xoxox

The next day was the burial and Seto was seriously worried about Mokuba, why did this affect him so much? Seto himself felt a strange kind of sadness in the atmosphere, as if everyone there inevitably felt Ryou's pain.

xoxox xox xoxox

After it was all over and they returned home, Mokuba looked as if he was having a hard time trying not to cry, as if something was truly bothering him beyond what happened. Seto thought that Mokuba just needed to calm down. That it was normal for a boy his age to be this upset, but he was still very worried.

Seto decided to talk to Mokuba. He knocked on the door to his little brother's room and received no answer so he just went inside and found Mokuba sitting in a corner crying again. "Mokuba what's wrong?"

Mokuba looked at Seto, debating if he should or could tell him what he knew. "Nothing big brother," Mokuba couldn't tell Seto the truth. He knew something, but he just couldn't say it for Seto's own good.

"Mokuba, please tell me. I know what happened is sad, but this is too much. What's wrong?" Seto insisted.

Mokuba felt worse. He was making his brother worry about, yet he knew he couldn't tell the truth or something terrible would happen. "I'm fine Seto," Mokuba tried to smile, but Seto knew it wasn't true.

"Don't you trust your own brother?" Seto asked.

"I do trust you Seto but I... I can't talk about this," Mokuba looked away.

"Please Mokuba, whatever it is I'll understand," Seto sat down next to Mokuba on the floor.

Mokuba just looked miserable. He was about to say something when a little bunny came running from under his bed and sat on his lap.

"Where did this come from?" Seto asked about the bunny, but Mokuba didn't answer. "Do you want to keep him?" Again there was no answer. Seto petted the bunny; it was a cute little black bunny with green eyes. "It's okay; you can keep him if you want. Where did you get him?"

Mokuba looked at the bunny then at Seto. "I found him in the yard; I don't know how he got in."

xoxox xox xoxox

The days passed by slowly and everyone was still sad about Ryou's death. They were even starting to feel sad for Bakura as well. Yugi and Yami had been searching the city for clues.

Normally, Yugi would tell his friends what was happening, but they didn't want to put any of them in danger, so Yugi and Yami went alone. The problem was that they didn't know exactly what they were looking for, but hoped that if they just continued their search, something would turn up and lead them in the right direction.

"Yami," Yugi broke the eerie silence that had been present since the sun set in Domino city.

"Do you want to go back now?" Yami inquired.

Yugi shook his head. "No, I was just wondering, do you think it's possible for Ryou to come back from the Shadow Realm if we defeat this creature?"

"Come back to life? No, his vessel is gone, but his soul isn't resting, unless there is a way to restore his vessel." After Yami answered Yugi's question, the eerie silence returned. They walked along the streets of Domino city, making sure they paid close attention to every detail around them and at the same time watching each other's backs.

They were passing in front of the Ishtar museum when they saw Ishizu waiting at the entrance, as if she knew they would come. "Good evening, please come this way." Without saying a word, expecting Ishizu to have valuable information, Yugi and Yami followed her inside the museum. "I have been studying some of the artifacts that were recently recovered from Egypt." They made their way deeper into the long dark corridors of the museum. Ishizu opened a large metal door that led to another room.

Yami and Yugi stared at the stone carving behind the glass in front of them, trying to make some sense out of it. In the stone carving, there was an oddly shaped figure, like a shadow. Its eyes were shaped as if it was angry all the time and it had long sharp looking claws. Around the carving of the monster, there were Egyptian symbols and the top part of the hieroglyphic was missing.

"Is that the creature?" Yugi pointed at the carving in the center of the stone.

"I believe so," Ishizu pointed at the Egyptian symbols. "Those are the names of the brave souls who fought this creature and came close to defeating it, but they all failed. This happened before Pharaoh Atemu was born in Ancient Egypt. The creature of darkness had been trapped in the Shadow Realm by the time Pharaoh Atemu came into existence. They trapped it because they couldn't permanently defeat it."

"There has to be a way!" Yugi wouldn't give up.

Ishizu pointed at the missing part of the stone. "The clues might have been there, but there is nothing we can do about the missing part, time itself destroyed it." They had gotten their hopes up thinking that Ishizu had figured out the answer to all their problems, but she didn't. It wasn't her fault, she did what she could and every detail counted, maybe this stone would serve as an important piece to the puzzle later. "Don't lose, the fate of the world once again depends on you."

xoxox xox xoxox

At the Kaiba Mansion, things weren't going too well. Seto knew Mokuba was hiding something and couldn't understand why. Mokuba was sad all the time and hardly said a word. Seto did all he could to cheer him up and get him to talk, but nothing worked.

Mokuba was sleeping, he said he was tired and went to bed early, too early. Seto checked on him several times and found him motionless in his bed, but not asleep, he could tell. Seto decided to try to clear his head and think of new ideas to make Mokuba feel better, while he did what a workaholic does best, it was his odd way to try to relax.

Seto was typing on his computer when the cat came into his home office. Her name was Blue Eyes White Cat, a white cat with blue eyes as the name suggests. The cat had lived with the Kaibas for a few months so Seto was very surprised when she suddenly started hissing and showing her sharp claws for no apparent reason, she never acted this way.

Blue Eyes White Cat moved her tail violently from side to side and hissed at something under the desk where Seto was sitting. Her blue eyes glowed with anger as if she was ready to attack any time.

"Blue, what's wrong?" No sooner had Seto said this, he felt something jump on his lap from under the desk. He looked down to find the black bunny looking at him with fear in his green eyes. Blue Eyes White Cat bolted towards the bunny, tackled him off Seto and pinned him firmly to the floor, about to cut his throat with her claws.

"Stop!" Seto quickly picked up the cat, the last thing Mokuba needed to hear was that his new pet bunny had been killed by their cat, who was always friendly before that.

Blue Eyes White Cat tried to get away from Seto and attack the bunny again, but he wouldn't let her go. Seto made his way out of the office, all the way to the front door and was about to put the cat in the yard, when she appeared to calm down and gave him that irresistibly cute sad look, no one could resist this cat's cuteness.

Seto placed the cat on the living room floor and petted her. "Stay here and be good." He returned to his office, but the cat followed. "Blue Eyes White Cat stay here," Seto repeated, but Blue Eyes White Cat kept following him.

They arrived at the door to his office and there was the bunny again. Seto looked at Blue Eyes White Cat, she looked tense and she was glaring at the bunny, but at least she wasn't trying to decapitate him.

Seto shook his head. "Pet rivalry," he concluded and he went to sit down again to continue working. He made sure to take a look at the two animals in the room every now and then, to make sure they weren't trying to kill each other.

xoxox xox xoxox

After they left the Ishtar museum, Yami and Yugi decided to return to the Game Shop before Salomon got too worried. Yami returned to the Millennium Puzzle as Yugi came in. "Yugi, You shouldn't be out so late with that serial killer on the loose. I was about to go look for you." Salomon locked the door as soon as Yugi was inside.

"I'm fine Grandpa, nothing's going to happen to me." Yugi was trying to tell the truth, yet it felt like a lie; he had a bad feeling that something would happen.

"Don't disappear like that without even saying you'll be late," Salomon made extra sure the door was locked.

"Okay, I'll call you when I'll be late," Yugi replied. Salomon looked at his grandson about to say something, but Yugi spoke first. "Yes, I know, you don't want me to be out late right now, but trust me, I'm not going to find any serial killers," that part really was a lie. Yugi knew that so called serial killer was actually the creature of darkness and he had to find it if he was to figure out how to permanently defeat it.

xoxox xox xoxox

After eating a late dinner, Yugi went to his room where Yami materialized outside of the Millennium Puzzle again. Yugi opened a drawer and pulled out the Millennium Ring which was returned to Ryou's father by the police. Yugi's friends had kept him busy while Yugi and Yami took Millennium Ring for safe keeping.

The Millennium Ring appeared to be getting rusty, but that was not supposed to happen since it was made of gold. It Millennium Ring, but its power was being drained out, possibly because something happened to Bakura. On the bright side, if Bakura was still somehow connected to the Millennium Ring, then there could still be hope to bring him back and through him get Ryou out of the Shadow Realm.

Yugi returned the Millennium Ring to the drawer and closed it. "What do you think is happening to Ryou and Bakura right now?"

The yami looked at his hikari. "I don't know Yugi, I really don't know," maybe it was best that he didn't know.

"Yami, that thing defeated Bakura, I'm sure he wouldn't let Ryou get hurt too badly if only for the vessel, do you think we can beat it?" Yugi wanted an honest answer, but at the same time he wanted to be reassured that everything would be okay.

"We will defeat that thing permanently. Bakura did not work with his hikari. We will work together and destroy that monster once and for all. No one will ever hurt our friends again," Yami assured.

The next few hours in the Game Shop were spent planning what areas to search the next day. Then Yami retuned to the Millennium Puzzle and Yugi went to sleep.

xoxox xox xoxox

The next day, Yugi was ready to search the city again. He was thankful summer vacation had started so he didn't have to worry about going to school. When he went downstairs, he found Joey waiting. Needless to say, Yugi was surprised that Joey was up so early during summer vacation and couldn't help but wonder what caused it. "Hey Joey, what are you doing here so early?"

"I know what you and Yami have been doing, Yug," Joey revealed. "How could you go without telling anyone?"

"I'm sorry Joey, I just didn't want any of you to be in danger. The others don't know about this, do they?" Yugi hoped that they didn't. He had to continue his search and he knew Joey would want to come along. It was already bad enough that his best friend would be in danger, he didn't want to get anyone else involved.

"They don't know," Joey confirmed. "I know you don't want anything bad to happen, but you have to trust us."

"I know, but please don't tell anyone," Yugi requested.

Joey felt obliged to agree. "Fine, I won't tell the others, but you have to let me help."

"Alright," Yugi didn't have a choice, now that he knew, Joey would come anyway. "Let's have some breakfast and start searching right away."

"Yeah, I'm starving," Joey's stomach growled. "I left so early to catch you before you ran off, that I didn't even eat this morning."

xoxox xox xoxox

At the Kaiba Mansion, Mokuba had woken he wasn't getting a lot of sleep lately. The little black bunny hopped to a corner of his bed and sat there glaring at Mokuba. "What do you want now?"

"Your little friend the cat is starting to get in my way." A voice echoed in Mokuba's mind.

"Blue Eyes White Cat? Don't hurt her!" Mokuba had seen this monster in its true form and knew what he could do.

"Keep her out of my away," the voice warned.

xoxox xox xoxox

Yugi, Yami and Joey had split up to search. They've heard on TV that there were more victims all around Domino city and the police kept blaming it on a serial killer. They didn't know it was a shadow creature, but what good would it be even if they did, it's not like regular police could stop it. They didn't find anything; the creature didn't come out during the day.

xoxox xox xoxox

Yugi and Yami had agreed with Joey to search for clues again the next day, but snuck out late that night without anyone knowing. It was the only way to find that creature.

"Did you hear that?" Yami asked, as they walked into a lonely dark alley.

"Probably just a cat or something," Yugi observed the atmosphere, it was very eerie and dark. The moon was gone that night and there were hardly any stars, their only light came from the flashlights they carried.

"I'm sure I heard something," Yami looked around.

Yugi noticed something behind Yami heading their way. "Yami, over there!" He pointed the flashlight at it. There was someone or something there, as big as a man, but his footsteps could not be heard and he was holding a long sharp dagger.

"I hear them," Yami voiced. "I hear them calling for help, they're linked to that creature. Yugi, that's it, that's the shadow creature!"

"Yami, we found him. What should we do?" Yugi asked.

"What we planned to do," Yami returned to the Millennium Puzzle and spoke to Yugi on their mind link. "We'll duel him together and save those people, including Ryou and Bakura, there might still be hope!"

"Right!" Yugi placed his deck on the duel disk. "I challenge you to a duel!" He pointed at the creature.

"I don't duel," a voice echoed in his mind.

Yugi stared wide eyed at the creature. He didn't duel? But so far everything was solved in a duel. "Yami, now what?"

They weren't prepared for this. Yami mentally kicked himself, how could they not have a plan B? "Run Yugi, run fast!"

Yugi ran, he ran as fast as he could, but the creature was right behind him, until Yugi found himself at a dead end. "Yami, we're trapped!"

Yami came out of the Millennium Puzzle. "I'm sorry, I thought a duel would work, it always works."

The creature approached slowly, as if it was confident that this battle was won. "Meow!" There was a cat behind it.

"Foolish Earth creature!" The shadow monster took off the cape to reveal its appearance as a shadow. It was as Yami and Yugi had seen at the ancient carvings at the Ishtar Museum. "Are you always protecting your human friends? Not anymore!" He had the perfect shelter during the day when he had to stay in his animal form and avoid the sun, that cat wasn't going to ruin it.

The cat hissed as jumped on the. The creature quickly flew out of the way so that cat was now standing in front of Yami and Yugi. "Shadow Emerald, I've defeated you before and I will defeat you again!"

"Yami, did that cat just talk?" Yugi was shocked.

"I don't think that's an ordinary cat," Yami was surprised as well.

Shadow Emerald glared t the cat. "Light Sapphire!"

"Good bye!" The cat jumped on him and in a flash of light, they both disappeared.

xoxox xox xoxox

Confused but relieved, Yugi and Yami returned home. They would visit the Ishtar Museum the next day and maybe Ishizu would have an explanation for this. When they arrived at the Game Shopm they found none other than Ryou waiting in Yugi's room.

"I'm back," Ryou wore the Millennium Ring around his neck. "Bakura's here too."

"What happened?" Yugi asked.

"We were released and the Millennium Ring materialized me in your room," Ryou explained, the Millennium Ring was golden again. "This means you destroyed the shadow creature?"

"Actually, a cat destroyed it," Yami told the story about what happened.

xoxox xox xoxox

The next day they told Ishizu what happened. "That cat must be one of the guardians of light. I thought they stopped existing a long time ago."

"What did the cat look like?" Marik asked.

"She was white with blue eyes and really cute," Yugi replied.

"No way, it couldn't be..." Marik was surprised. "My cat has a crush on a cat just like that, but she's Kaiba's cat."

xoxox xox xoxox

They headed to the Kaiba Mansion, where they found Mokuba and Seto with the same cat they saw and told them what happened.

It turns out Mokuba knew all along about the shadow creature, but didn't tell anyone so he wouldn't endanger Seto. "Do you really think it was Blue Eyes White Cat? That her name is really Sapphire and she's a guardian?" Mokuba was very relieved that the creature was finally gone.

"I'm sure it was her, where did you get that cat, anyway?" Yugi asked.

"She was a gift from a fan girl," Seto recalled.

"What does that mean?" Yugi wondered.

"I don't know," Yami admitted. Who knows how that girl found the cat; it could have all been a coincidence or the work of destiny.

"At least everything's okay now and Ryou's safe," Yugi smiled. With the shadow creature gone and a guardian living at the Kaiba Mansion, things went back to normal. The moral of the story is: not everything can be solved with a duel.

End of Card 37

xoxox xox xoxox xox xoxox xox xoxox xox xoxox

**Card 38: Shattered**

Ryou was sitting in a corner as if he were in a trance. "Ryou!" He didn't reply and Millennium Ring glowed as Bakura entered his vessel, then Ryou's Soul Room. "Ryou? Be careful, don't drop that!"

"Every item in my soul room represents a part of who I am, so if I have the will to change, I can break this item and change my life. It's a small glass figure of me as an angel. Such a perfect kind of clear glass does not exist in the real world. Such a beautiful piece of work cannot be created by the most skilled artist, it can only come from the heart .If I break this item..." Ryou threw the glass on the floor and it shattered. His expression darkened, his kindness and compassion were gone. "Spirit of the Millennium Ring, you're the one who pushed me into this and you will pay!"

xoxox xox xoxox

"Bakura... Bakura... Hey, Bakura wake up!" Ryou's voice was as innocent and angelic as ever.

"What happened?" Bakura woke up.

"You looked like you where having a nightmare, but you wouldn't wake up, I was worried," Ryou replied.

'So it was all a nightmare? What a relief, it's not too late.' Bakura looked at his hikari. "Ryou, I'm sorry, for everything."

Ryou hugged him. "It's okay Bakura, I'm not angry at you."

Bakura felt a rare kind of peace as he listened to his light's words. His glass angel was safe, he might look fragile, but he was truly strong.

End of Card 38

xoxox xox xoxox xox xoxox xox xoxox xox xoxox

**Card 39: Diaries**

The brown haired girl ran as fast as she could, holding the reason of her misery in her arms. Who would have thought that the little pink book she carried was the cause of her sorrows. Ignoring the fact that it was a cold lonely night and she shouldn't be there so late, especially since she had a dancing audition the next day, Tea ran to the Domino city park and let her self fall into a sitting position under a tree resting her back on it. She opened the small pink book, her diary, and read from a page in the middle.

"Dear Diary: Writing approximately three entries per week, I think I will reach this page in about five months. By that time I would have earned at least one role in a musical or something and if I have not accomplished that by then, I'll quit dancing. It's not like I can show up in a dance school in New York without some experience, I need to have the resume of a star! Love, Tea"

As she opened her diary to write about her thoughts and emotions, instead of finding a blank page, she found that message. She hasn't had a lot of time to write in her diary so it has been seven months instead of five and she still hasn't earned a role in anything. The truth was she had not gone to many auditions, but those that she had gone to didn't choose her, thinking she was just some inexperienced kid pretending to be a star. Well how was she supposed to gain experience if she was never given the chance in a minor role?

"Am I just pretending I can do this? Maybe I should quit." It wasn't just a simple message written in a book, it was the realization that she wasn't moving forward. What would she do after she finished school? Would she really be able to make a living from dancing? "Send me a sign!" Tea looked up at the star filled skies.

Some movement in the near by bushes pushed her thoughts away and she became alert. She quickly got up, holding her diary as if she was ready to hit someone with it. She shouldn't have come to the park, it was so lonely, cold, quiet and dark, there could be a thief or something hiding here. The person in the bushes finally made his way out. It wasn't clear who he was due to the darkness, so Tea threw her diary at the stranger, hitting him flat on the face and ran away, only to trip after getting a mere few feet away over a tree's over sized roots, which were sticking out of the ground.

Tea quickly got up to run away again, but the stranger grabbed her arm. "Let me go! Ow!" She rubbed her head where he had hit her with her own diary.

"Stupid girl, throwing your stupid book, you don't like it when you're in the receiving end, do you?" Bakura threw the diary into her hands and walked away to sit down under the tree where she had been sitting before. Tea just stood there for a few seconds, staring at him confused, until he looked up with a glare. "Weren't you leaving?"

"You don't own the park!" Tea returned the glare. "What are you doing here?"

"I should ask you the same question, but I'm not as nosy." Bakura looked away.

"Speaking of noses, how is yours?" Tea leaning over to see his nose.

"My nose is fine, stupid girl!" Bakura hissed.

Tea didn't know why, but suddenly felt so curious about him. "I know you're not Ryou, you're the spirit of the Millennium Ring."

"Not that I'm pretending to be Ryou." Bakura was clearly annoyed by Tea presence and was sending a clear 'go away' message, but she decided to ignore it. She spotted a black book on his lap and wondered what it could be. The book had no title; it looked more like one of those books with blank pages for people to write on, like a diary. She sighted remembering why she had ran to the park in the first place. "Weren't you leaving?" He asked again.

"I'll leave if you tell me what that is," Tea pointed to the black book on his lap.

Bakura held the book against his chest protectively, as if he was afraid she would try to take it and run away with it. "It's none of your business! Go away before I kill you!"

"I know you won't kill me Bakura, I know for a fact that you are not as bad as you used to be, but it looks like you still have a lot to learn." Tea turned to leave, but Bakura stopped her.

"What did he tell you?" Bakura demanded to know, he grabbed her arm. "Tell me what Ryou told you!"

"Let go," Tea tried to break free. "Bakura, it hurts, let go!"

Bakura let her go, but his glare alone warned her not to try to run off without answering his question. "I need to know what Ryou said."

Knowing what Ryou had said appeared to be very important to Bakura so Tea decided to tell him. She walked over to the tree again and sat down, sensing that this conversation would be longer than expected. Bakura sat down as well, waiting impatiently for the information he wanted to hear. "He said that even if sometimes you're a little mean to him, he knows you've been trying to be nicer. He said you changed for the better and that he appreciates it very much," Tea revealed.

"But we're still not as close and trusting as the pharaoh and his hikari. Did Ryou mention them?" Bakura didn't look at her, instead looking at the black book he held.

"No, he didn't say anything about Yugi or Yami." Tea couldn't help it but to stare at the black book curiously.

"You really want to know what it is..." Bakura opened it on a certain page. "Turn the page and you're dead, read only from where it's open."

Tea received the book and read. "By the time I get to this page Ryou and I will be like the pharaoh and his hikari. I started writing this thing after I decided to try and start over and be nicer to Ryou. I know he'll forgive me, he already has, but I won't feel like I've earned his forgiveness until I earn his trust." Tea looked thoughtful for a moment then gave Bakura her own diary, "read this page."

Bakura read it, "so we both set certain dates for something and then the date came and it hasn't happened, it's just a coincidence." He handing her diary back and took his own.

"Maybe it is just a coincidence, but you know what? Ryou thinks of you a lot, he wishes to include you more when all of us go out as a group, but you never want to come. Why is that?" Tea asked.

"I don't go where I'm not wanted," Bakura replied.

"It's not like that. Everyone is willing to welcome you if you came. Next time we do something together, why don't you come along? I'm sure Ryou will invite you, why not accept his invitation next time? You shouldn't be so upset, you're a lot closer to your goal than you think. Just look at you, we've been talking here for a while and I'm not in the Shadow Realm yet, that's definitely a good sign." Tea sounded more cheerful now.

"Yet? So you really are expecting me to send you to the Shadow Realm some time in the near future?" Bakura grinned. "If that's the case, I wouldn't mind at all."

Tea shook her head nervously, "that's not what I meant!"

Bakura got up to leave. "It's late, I think I heard Ryou mention something about you having an audition. He also said he the pharaoh and his friends where going to Kaiba Land on Saturday."

"Are you going?" Tea inquired.

"Maybe," Bakura walked away.

"I'll see you then Bakura," Tea waved goodbye and began to walk home. The spirit of the Millennium Ring, a tomb robber from Ancient Egypt, he had changed so much. All this time Ryou had not given up on him. Tea smiled, she wouldn't give up either. She looked up at the star filled skies again, "I guess I got my sign, thanks."

End of Card 39

xoxox xox xoxox xox xoxox xox xoxox xox xoxox

**Card 40: Haunted Hotel**

One day just like that, three duelists got an invitation for a Duel Monsters tournament. The host of the tournament was said to be an anonymous millionaire who wished to know who truly was the best duelist; Yugi Moto, Seto Kaiba or Maximillion Pegasus. The three were to stay in a hotel the night of October 31 and the duels would take place the next day. Pegasus came alone, Seto brought Mokuba because, well here's a flash back:

Mokuba had heard that Seto was going to be in a Duel Monsters tournament and wasn't going to take him along so he asked him to take him, when Seto was in the middle of a very important business meeting. Mokuba ran into the room where Seto was in the middle of his business speech.

"Seto! Seto! I want go with you to the Duel Monsters tournament!" Everyone looked at Mokuba who was making a 'look at me, I'm cute!' face that made him look exactly like princess Adina from Seto's video game. The room was filled with important executives and it would be great for Kaiba Corp. if Seto could get a business deal with them. After staring at Mokuba for a few seconds, soon all eyes were on Seto waiting for his answer. For a second the CEO of Kaiba Corp. looked like he was ready to throw Mokuba out, but then he noticed that everyone was looking at him and knowing he had to keep up the 'nice image' he faked an 'I love my little brother' face and told Mokuba he could go. This was actually a good thing for Kaiba Corp. because the so called serious and cold executives thought it was too cute and Seto got the deal.

xoxox xox xoxox

Back to the present time, Yugi invited all his friends, Joey, Ryou, Tea, Tristan and even Mai came. When they arrived, it looked like the hotel was in the process of being remodeled, there was paint, materials and ladders everywhere. But the strange thing was that there were no people save for them. Finally, they found the hotel's owner who was just leaving. "Wait! Where are you going?" Yugi asked.

"I'm getting out of here. This hotel may be good all year round, but not on this day!" The owner said.

"Why is that?" Tristan asked.

"Because on the night of October 31 a ghost comes!" The owner replied.

"Can we go home now?" Mokuba hid behind Seto or more precisely under his antigravity coat.

"No, besides, there's no such a thing as ghosts!" Seto then went on a speech about how all that stuff about ghosts, spirits and millennium items was just a fairy tale.

"You will find out for yourselves. The keys to the rooms are in my office I left the door open, if you're hungry the kitchen's all yours," owner of the hotel informed.

"What about room service?" Pegasus half asked, half complained.

"Nobody else but you is staying," the owner looked at them as if they were crazy.

"Some hotel!" Joey complained.

"This is no way to treat your guests!" Mai agreed.

"Tell that to the ghost!" The hotel's owner left and the duelists and their friends and enemies were alone in the hotel.

xoxox xox xoxox

Later that day, they got hungry and tried to get some food from the kitchen. As it is to be expected they made a big mess. Joey was cooking things that are not supposed to be cooked. Tea gave everyone a speech about eating healthy food. Mokuba ate all the sweets he could find. Tristan burned everything he tried to cook and Mai complained about what bad cooks everyone was.

Ryou made a sandwich and it disappeared. Pegasus run off with Ryou's sandwich but tripped over Mokuba and the sandwich fell on the floor. Mokuba started crying like a baby just to see what Seto would do. Seto punched Pegasus and left him knocked out on the kitchen floor for the next few hours. He needed an excuse to punch Pegasus anyway.

Tea stepped on what was left of the sandwich, slipped and twisted her ankle. Yugi offered to carry her to her room, but said he couldn't lift her, so he dragged her instead. Needless to say she was a lot better before Yugi dragged her up the stairs.

Mai laughed at Joey's cooking and Joey got angry and yelled at her, saying that her cooking was probably worse. This upset Mai and she slapped Joey on the face. A few minutes later Mai felt guilty and hugged Joey out of no where. He was surprised when she suddenly hugged him for no apparent reason and spent the next ten minutes trying to figure out why she did, before giving up and coming to the conclusion that is must be a 'girl thing' that he didn't understand.

Ryou made another sandwich, which was stolen this time by Tristan. Bakura got angry that his hikari's food was being stolen and made Tristan eat the stuff that Joey cooked. Soon after, Tristan left the kitchen with a killer stomachache.

Ryou made himself another sandwich, but Joey kept looking at him with sad puppy eyes so he let him have it. Mokuba tried getting the next sandwich Ryou made in the same way, but Bakura just yelled at him. Seto didn't do anything this time because Mokuba was being a spoiled brat anyway.

xoxox xox xoxox

The craziness went on until it was time to go to sleep. Pegasus woke up and dragged himself to his room. Tea couldn't get out of bed because her foot, and the rest of her body, hurt. Joey sat on his bed awake listening to the sounds of his stomach because he was still hungry. Tristan was still agonizing. Mokuba was staying with Seto because he was scared and kept jumping on Seto's bed keeping his big brother awake. Ryou was already asleep and Yugi was also asleep.

Mai was trying on a new white dress. She wanted to have a snack before going to bed so she decided to go to the kitchen. As she opened the door to her room, suddenly the lights went out due to the electric storm outside. Mai was frightened and almost screamed, but she soon realized it was nothing but a problem with the electric system. Those hotels had back up generators, so why weren't the lights coming back on? Mai assumed it was because the workers remodeling the hotel might have accidentally damaged a connection somewhere. She was going to get her snack anyway so she started walking to the hotel's kitchen.

After taking a few steps in the darkness, Mai tripped on a ladder that was on the way. On top of it, there was a bucket of white paint, which fell on Mai's head. Mai got up, took the bucket off her head hoping that no one had seen her and ran back to what she thought was her room, but it wasn't. She tripped on a chair and the noise woke up the other duelist in that room, Maximillion Pegasus.

"Do I see what I think I see?" Mai was covered in white paint so it was hard to tell it was her, especially in the dark. All that Pegasus saw was a blonde woman all in white. "Cecelia!" Pegasus started chasing Mai, thinking she was Cecelia's ghost. Of course, Mai ran as fast as she could, yelling she wasn't Cecelia, but Pegasus didn't listen and kept chasing her.

xoxox xox xoxox

Mokuba heard some noises and thought it was a ghost and Seto went to check it out, just so Mokuba would quit whining. The minute he stepped outside of his room, a random fan girl hugged him and he yelled at the top of his lugs from the scare he got from the sudden glomp. Mokuba heard Seto and thought that the ghost had captured his big brother so he hid under the bed.

Mai ran by with Pegasus still chasing her. "Cecelia! Come back, my love!"

"Ghost!" Seto yelled, then he gave a speech about how it must have bee a trick.

"That's a nice speech Seto, it's so interesting," though the fan girl said this she son fell asleep while hugging Seto.

"Hey girl, wake up! Let me go! Oh, great now I'm stuck and I didn't bring my security staff." Seto tried to get her off, but she had a strong grip even asleep.

"Plushie," she muttered in her sleep.

Seto's troubles weren't over; another girl walked by and squealed when she saw him. "Seto, my one true love, it is I, the great Mary Sue!" With an expression of pure terror, Seto started to run for his life giving the fan girl a piggy back ride because he couldn't get her off, one Mary Sue was much worse than a million fan girls anyway.

Mai ran into Joey's room who thought she was a ghost and started screaming. Tristan, who was feeling better, came to the rescue, but also got scared. All the noise woke up everyone and they went to find out what was going on. After yelling and running around for about twenty five minutes, they realized the ghost was really Mai. Tea's foot started hurting again but she said she'd get to her room alone, because she didn't like being dragged on the floor.

xoxox xox xoxox

The next day, there was no Duel Monsters tournament. It turns out it was all a joke to see if the top duelists were brave enough to spend the night of October 31 in that supposedly haunted hotel. No one ever found out who made the joke and maybe it was best this way, because if they found out, the one responsible for it would be in big trouble.

End of Card 40

Disclaimer, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!


	14. Cards 41 and 42

Duel Deck

**Card 41: A Thousand Loves and a Broken Heart**

One Saturday morning, Mokuba watched his brother worried. Seto had been sitting in front of the computer all morning without resting. He watched the computer and typed as if he was hypnotized by the light of the screen. He had been like this for several weeks now, but it was getting worse. 'If this goes on he will always be obsessed with work and when he's older he'll be a grumpy old man,' the young Kaiba started thinking about his poor brother's lonely future. 'Poor Seto he will die without a single date. I can't let this happen, I shall find the perfect woman for him.' So it was decided, Mokuba was now the official matchmaker.

xoxox xox xoxox

That afternoon, the young Kaiba went in search of all the girls he knew around his brother's age. The first one he saw was Tea Gardner, dancing on a DDR pad at the arcade. When she was done dancing he went to talk to her, "hi Tea!"

"Hi Mokuba! What are you doing over here, playing video games?" Tea smiled cheerfully.

'T a is really friendly, I'm sure my brother will love her,' Mokuba thought. 'They'll fall in love, they'll get married and I'll be an uncle!' Mokuba smiled thinking about how much fun it would be playing with his many nieces and nephews. "Actually I was looking for you. Seto asked me to ask you something. You see, Seto has been secretly in love with you for some time now, but he's really shy around girls so he asked me to talk to you. Tomorrow we're going on a picnic in the park, I'll be there for a while to give him moral support and then I'll go to Yugi's and leave you two alone for your date," Mokuba smiled innocently.

Tea was completely surprised; she truly didn't know what to say. "Mokuba, I'm sorry but all I really want is to be his friend, okay?"

Mokuba gave her the sad chibi look. "Don't you like my brother? He's smart and handsome and has money, what more can a girl want?"

"I do like him, I just don't like him that way, please try to understand, but I can still be his friend," Tea smiled, trying to lighten the mood.

Mokuba sighed, "It's okay Tea, I understand." So the young Kaiba went in search of another candidate.

Tea watching Mokuba walk away. She had an odd feeling like guilt or pity. 'Maybe Kaiba deserves a chance; I shall teach him about friendship!'

xoxox xox xoxox

The next girl Mokuba saw was Mai Valentine at a jewelry store at the mall, "hi Mai!"

"Hey Mokuba, what are you doing over here?" She really didn't expect to find Mokuba there.

'Mai is really pretty, I'm sure my brother will love her,' Mokuba thought. 'They'll fall in love, they'll get married and I'll be an uncle!' Mokuba smiled thinking about how much fun it would be playing with his many nieces and nephews. 'Here we go, take two!' "Actually, I was looking for you. Seto asked me to ask you something. You see, Seto has been secretly in love with you for some time now, but he's really shy around girls so he asked me to talk to you. Tomorrow we're going on a picnic in the park, I'll be there for a while to give him moral support and then I'll go to Yugi's and leave you two alone for your date," Mokuba smiled innocently again.

Mai was also very surprised. She knew a lot of men were in love with her, but she never thought Kaiba liked her that way too. Furthermore, she was in love with Joey, even if she hasn't told him yet. "Mokuba, I can't. I just don't feel that way, sorry kiddo."

Mokuba gave her the sad chibi look. "Don't you like my brother? He's smart and handsome and has money, what more can a girl want?"

'He does have a point, but I'm not the old jewelry obsessed Mai anymore, now I'm the new Joey obsessed Mai... Did I just think that?' "Mokuba, sweetie, it just doesn't work that way, but we could just be friends, okay?" Mai tried to sound supportive.

Mokuba sighed in defeat once again. "It's okay Mai, I understand," Mokuba left again to continue his search for another candidate.

Mai watched Mokuba walk away. She had an odd feeling like guilt or pity. 'Maybe Kaiba deserves a chance; I could at least make Joey jealous.'

xoxox xox xoxox

Continuing his search, Mokuba visited the Ishtar museum, where he found Ishizu Ishtar, "hi Ishizu!"

"Hello Mokuba, have you come to see the Egyptian artifact exhibition?" Ishizu asked.

'Ishizu is really cool, I'm sure my brother will love her,' Mokuba thought. ,They'll fall in love, they'll get married and I'll be an uncle!, Mokuba smiled thinking about how much fun it would be playing with his many nieces and nephews. 'Here we go, third one's the charm!' "Actually, I was looking for you. Seto asked me to ask you something. You see, Seto has been secretly in love with you for some time now, but he's really shy around girls so he asked me to talk to you. Tomorrow we're going on a picnic in the park, I'll be there for a while to give him moral support and then I'll go to Yugi's and leave you two alone for your date," Mokuba smiled innocently again.

"Oh, dear..." Ishizu certainly didn't expect something like this. "Mokuba, I'm afraid it wouldn't work out, your brother is destined to-"

Mokuba didn't let her finish and gave her the sad chibi look. "Don't you like my brother? He's smart and handsome and has money, what more can a girl want?"

Ishizu shook her head, "I'm sorry, our destinies are not with each other."

Failed again, "It's okay Ishizu, I understand," Mokuba left the museum to search for another girl.

Ishizu watched Mokuba walk away. She had an odd feeling like guilt or pity. 'Maybe Kaiba deserves a chance, I shall teach him to accept his destiny!'

xoxox xox xoxox

The next girl Mokuba found was Serenity Wheeler, who was at an ice-cream shop. They had a large buffet with many flavors of ice-cream. Joey was eating every ice-cream he could get his hands on at the buffet, while Serenity sat at a table in the corner furthest away from the buffet, eating her vanilla ice-cream and pretending she didn't know the blond bottomless pit. Mokuba went to get some ice-cream, then headed for Serenity's table. "Hi Serenity, can I sit with you?"

"Hi Mokuba, of course you can. Came to try the ice-cream buffet?" Serenity smiled.

'Serenity is really nice, I'm sure my brother will love her,' Mokuba thought. 'They'll fall in love, they'll get married and I'll be an uncle!' Mokuba smiled thinking about how much fun it would be playing with his many nieces and nephews. 'I have keep trying!' "Actually, I was looking for you. Seto asked me to ask you something. You see, Seto has been secretly in love with you for some time now, but he's really shy around girls so he asked me to talk to you. Tomorrow we're going on a picnic in the park, I'll be there for a while to give him moral support and then I'll go to Yugi's and leave you two alone for your date," Mokuba smiled innocently once again.

Serenity was also taken by surprise. "Kaiba doesn't seem to get a long with Joey very well."

Mokuba gave her the sad chibi look. "Don't you like my brother? He's smart and handsome and has money, what more can a girl want?"

Serenity tried to explain things, she didn't want to sound mean, but she was really concerned about what Joey would think. "I just don't want to upset Joey and ruin any chances they might have of becoming friends."

"It's okay Serenity, I understand," Mokuba was disappointed. Four girls and they all said no. 'This is a lot harder than I thought,' he finished his chocolate ice-cream and left.

Serenity watched Mokuba walk away, passing Joey who was being dragged away from the ice-cream buffet. She had an odd feeling like guilt or pity. 'Maybe Kaiba deserves a chance; I shall make him friends with Joey!'

xoxox xox xoxox

Continuing his search, Mokuba spotted Vivian Wong window shopping at a clothing store, "hi Vivian!"

"Hello Mokuba, how's your brother by the way?" She asked with a fan girlish squeal.

'Vivian is really um... fan girlish, I'm sure my brother will love her, or at least she'll love him,' Mokuba thought. 'They'll fall in love, they'll get married and I'll be an uncle!' Mokuba smiled thinking about how much fun it would be playing with his many nieces and nephews. 'Please say yes.' "Actually, I was looking for you. Seto asked me to ask you something. You see, Seto has been secretly in love with you for some time now, but he's really shy around girls so he asked me to talk to you. Tomorrow we're going on a picnic in the park, I'll be there for a while to give him moral support and then I'll go to Yugi's and leave you two alone for your date," Mokuba smiled innocently once again, this was really getting old.

"But Mokuba, I still haven't decided if I like Yugi or Seto best. Besides, all I really want is to duel by their side; we'll be the strongest team!" Vivian got all starry eyed.

Mokuba gave her the sad chibi look yet again. "Don't you like my brother? He's smart and handsome and has money, what more can a girl want?"

"Aw, I'm sorry, I just can't choose between them and if I'm the girlfriend of one of them, I can't be the fan girl of the other," Vivian explained.

'I'll never get him a date,' Mokuba thought. "It's okay Vivian, I understand," so the young Kaiba left again.

Vivian watched Mokuba walk away. She had an odd feeling like guilt or pity. 'Maybe he deserves a chance; if I date Seto, maybe I'll get Yugi's attention, then I can date both of them and be both their fan girl!'

xoxox xox xoxox

Mokuba continued his search, he wasn't going to give up yet, but he was getting desperate. That's when he spotted Rebecca's trailer parked ahead. "Rebecca!" He called until she came out. 'Rebecca is really smart, I'm sure my brother will love her,' Mokuba thought. 'They'll fall in love, they'll get married and I'll be an uncle!' Mokuba smiled thinking about how much fun it would be playing with his many nieces and nephews. 'Ok so maybe she's a little too young and I won't be an uncle for a while, but I need find a girl who's willing to date Seto, anyone will do.' "Actually, I was looking for you. Seto asked me to ask you something. You see, Seto has been secretly in love with you for some time now, but he's really shy around girls so he asked me to talk to you. Tomorrow we're going on a picnic in the park, I'll be there for a while to give him moral support and then I'll go to Yugi's and leave you two alone for your date," Mokuba smiled innocently once again.

Rebecca blinked, "but Kaiba's too old for me."

Mokuba gave her the sad chibi look which was getting very, very old. "Don't you like my brother? He's smart and handsome and has money, what more can a girl want?"

"True, but he's also too old for me," she repeated.

"Didn't you like Yugi? They're the same age," Mokuba argued.

"Actually, I used to like older guys because I thought they were more mature, but then I realized guys are immature anyway so I might as well stick with the young ones. By the way, what are you doing tomorrow, Mokuba?" Rebecca winked.

"I have to go now, bye!" Mokuba ran away without looking back.

Rebecca watched Mokuba run like mad. 'She had an odd feeling like guilt or pity. 'Maybe Kaiba deserves a chance; I shall win Mokuba's heart by sibling rivalry!'

xoxox xox xoxox

As he ran for his life, Mokuba bumped into a girl. She had short blond hair, brown eyes, too much make up and was wearing a purple dress. "Sorry!" 'This girl is really... well actually, she's really creepy, but I'm desperate.' Mokuba thought. 'They'll fall in love maybe, they'll get married, I hope, and I'll be a monkey's uncle, hopefully not literally.' Mokuba smiled thinking about how much fun it would be playing with the many reject lab experiments, I mean his many nieces and nephews. 'Here goes nothing.' "Actually, I was looking for you," she looked at him strangely because she had no idea who he was. "My brother saw you from afar and asked me to ask you something," Mokuba explained. "You see, Seto has been secretly in love with you for some time now, I mean since he saw you, but he's really shy around girls so he asked me to talk to you. Tomorrow we're going on a picnic in the park, I'll be there for a while to give him moral support and then I'll go to Yugi's, my friend's house, and leave you two alone for your date," Mokuba smiled innocently once again, he was so tired of this.

"Really? That sounds interesting..." She smiled and for a moment Mokuba had hopes that his quest was finally over, but then a tall muscular man arrived. "I heard that kid, where's this brother of yours?"

Mokuba gulped and looked around, hoping to think of a way to get himself out of this without endangering his brother's life. He spotted Duke and Tristan walking down the street talking, or rather arguing, about video games. "There!" Mokuba said pointing at them.

The man walked over to them. "I don't know which one of you is the kid's brother, but I'll beat you both up, just in case!"

xoxox xox xoxox

After running away, Mokuba had an odd feeling like guilt or pity. He shook his head and decided to continue his quest anyway. This was for his brother's own good after all. After walking around the city for a little while, he decided to talk to the next girl he saw and soon after this thought crossed his mind, he saw a lime green haired girl. "Hi, what's your name?"

"Squeal! Mokuba!" The girl turned around and Mokuba recognized her. Even if she often changed her hair style and hair color, he could tell who she was. "Squeal! You know who I am, future baby brother, I am Mary Sue! I'm an actress, singer, model, a great cook, funny, nice, pretty, smart, powerful, have the eight millennium item, blah, blah, blah, etc., etc. etc." She went on for what felt like hours, making Mokuba dizzy. "And to summarize, I am over all perfect in every way!" Mary Sue finally finished and then she added with a creepy smile. "How is that adorable big brother of yours doing?"

Mokuba was about to give her the same old speech, but then he realized that even if he was desperate, he wasn't that desperate. True that he said he would talk to the next girl he saw, but maybe it was best to skip the Sue and talk to the next girl he saw after her. "Seto is..." Mokuba thought of a good excuse, but Mary Sue's impatient look wasn't helping. "He's dead!"

Mary Sue let out an exaggerated gasp and screamed "No!" In a high pitched squeaky voice, making poor Mokuba's ears, and everyone else's ears within a ten mile radius of Domino city, start ringing.

xoxox xox xoxox

At the Ishtar Museum, the glass covering the Egyptian artifacts in other words the rocks, shattered due to the vibrations from Mary Sue's super sonic scream, one of her many exaggerated magical powers. Ishizu's voice was heard screaming, "Marik! What did you break this time?"

xoxox xox xoxox

Back to Mokuba, as soon as he was able to get his body to move, he ran off full speed, even faster than when he ran way from Rebecca and left the crying Mary Sue behind. He decided to hide in a computer store, since he knew that deep down Mary Sue was really stupid and talking to a true computer geek could make her tiny brain over heat and blow up from confusion. He saw a girl staring at a computer; its covers have been removed to display all the pretty circuit boards and cards on the inside. Suppressing the urge to yell out 'Stop staring at the nekkid computer,' he decided to go talk to her, "hi"

"Hi," The girl replied.

'This girl is a computer geek, I'm sure my brother will love her,' Mokuba thought. 'They'll fall in love, they'll get married and I'll be an uncle!' Mokuba smiled thinking about how much fun it would be playing with his many nieces and nephews. 'Last chance!' "Actually, I was looking for you, Seto asked me to ask you something, he saw you and then asked me to ask you something that is. You see, Seto has been secretly in love with you for some time now, I mean since he first saw you, but he's really shy around girls so he asked me to talk to you. Tomorrow we're going on a picnic in the park, I'll be there for a while to give him moral support and then I'll go to Yugi's, a friend's house, and leave you two alone for your date," Mokuba smiled innocently once again. 'If she says no I'll quit.' Hoping to catch her interest he added. "You know my brother, right? Seto Kaiba, the CEO of Kaiba Corp, there's lots of computers there and its very high tech, just like my brother!"

"Okay, I'll go," the girl agreed.

By force of habit Mokuba, gave her the sad chibi look, which was getting very tiresome. "Don't you like my brother? He's smart and handsome and has money, what more can a girl want?"

"I said yes," the girl replied.

Mokuba sighed. "It's okay, I understand," he automatically assumed this girl rejected her brother too. 'I guess girls just don't like my brother,' Mokuba gave up on his quest and decided to return home.

The girl watched Mokuba walk away. She had an odd feeling like confusion mixed with pity, 'weird kid.'

xoxox xox xoxox

Even if he wasn't able to find a date for his brother, Mokuba wanted to go on the picnic anyway. So after asking his brother over and over and having Seto tell him he was too busy to go, it was time for plan B.

"We never do anything brotherly together anymore, you don't love me!" Mokuba gave Seto the over used sad chibi eyes, which he has practiced so much that day.

Seto watched Mokuba give him the sad chibi look, which he appeared to have perfected, he wondered since when his little brother got so good at that. He had an odd feeling like guilt or pity, but he decided to ignore it. "I do love you little brother, but I already told you, I'm very busy."

'I guess it's time for plan C,' Mokuba grinned evilly. He took a picture out of his pocket. "Seto, look what I found, favorite big brother of mine," he held up the picture for Seto to look at it.

The CEO's eyes went wide, his jaw almost touching the floor. There he was in the picture as a baby. He thought he burned all his baby pictures, but it looks like he missed one. The small baby in the picture appeared to mock him, threatening to make him die of embarrassment. "Mokuba that's low, give it to me!"

"No! I'll give it to you tomorrow after you're back from the picnic," Mokuba insisted.

"Give it to me!" Seto screamed, jumping on Mokuba. Mokuba quickly jumped out of the way and ran like mad. Seto chased him like a lion chasing his prey, all over the Kaiba Mansion. "Give it to me or else!" The truth was Mokuba had never seen Seto so angry, but he was doing this for his own good.

After more running, Seto had finally managed to corner Mokuba and take the picture from him. "You may have destroyed that one, but I have more!" Mokuba lied.

"Where are they?" Seto yelled.

"I'll tell you after we come back from the picnic," Mokuba grinned evilly.

"You little blackmailing brat, I'll get you for this!" Seto stomped away angrily, he had no choice but to go on that picnic tomorrow, even if he rather stay home and work.

xoxox xox xoxox

The next day, Sunday, the day of the picnic, they went to the Domino city park. Mokuba decided to go for a walk around the park, while Seto just sat there waiting until it was time to leave and work again.

Not too far from there, Tea, Mai, Ishizu, Serenity, Vivian and Rebecca were on their way to the park. They saw each other and decided to walk together and of course they talked. By the time they had arrived at the park, the girls had concluded that Seto had asked all of them out at the same time and they weren't happy about it. To top it all up, he even sent his little brother to ask them.

While Mokuba was away, Tea, Mai, Ishizu, Serenity, Vivian and Rebecca arrived. Called Seto every thing from jerk to names I rather not type, slapped him until they knocked him out and walked away angrily.

"Look Bakura," Ryou pointed as they walked by. "Kaiba is taking a nap, you should take one too, it's very relaxing."

"Naps are for babies," the spirit of the Millennium Ring pouted.

Mokuba came back to where he had left Seto and found him unconscious, but thought tat he had simply fallen asleep. After several hours, Seto woke up with a horrible headache from the slaps and screaming and very painful sun burn from being in the sun for too long. He decided not to tell Mokuba about why he was knocked out and let him think that he really was taking a nap.

Mokuba never found out that Tea, Mai, Ishizu, Serenity, Vivian and Rebecca came. The creepy girl in the purple dress went on a date with her boyfriend and forgot all about that kid's brother and the computer geek girl stayed on the internet all day and forgot all about the date.

xoxox xox xoxox xox xoxox xox xoxox xox xoxox

**Card 42: Stop That Email (JoeyxMai)**

Joey Wheeler got home and went straight to the computer. He kicked off his shoes, turned on the computer and waited impatiently for it to load. He tried to connect to the internet, hoping that the modem wouldn't die today, as it had been agonizing for the past few days. After two failed attempts, the modem finally connected and Joey checked his email.

Buried in all the spam was a message from Yugi. Their emails talked about Duel Monsters and the such. Joey answered it as he read so he wouldn't forget to write anything. Finally, at the end of Yugi's message there was a question, a random question that they added to each of their messages to keep the conversation going. "Do you have a crush on anyone? Who and why?"

Without thinking twice Joey answered it. Mushy romantic inspiration came to him and he typed up a detailed love confession all about Mai Valentine. Joey didn't mind sending it, Yugi was his best friend and probably already knew he liked Mai, besides, he wouldn't' tell anyone. Just as Joey was about to hit the send button, his cheap old mouse went crazy and moved on its own, causing him to click on his contact list link.

Joey battled against the rabid cursor, trying to make the mouse respond, accidentally adding Mai's address in the process. His cellphone rang and he answered it, "hello?"

"Hey Joey! I'm going Kaiba Land want to come?" Yugi asked.

"Sure Yug, I'll be right there!" Joey replied, he didn't like Kaiba, but everyone liked Kaiba Land.

After hanging up, Joey quickly hit the send button. The message was sent and the screen displayed a list of the addresses that it was sent to. Joey noticed there were two.

He opened his eyes wide as he realized one of those addresses belonged to Mai Valentine. He panicked, the address must have been added when he was fighting the mouse. There was nothing he could do now since his email didn't have an un-send feature. Joey really didn't want Mai to read that message, she could think he was some creepy stalker guy and never talk to him again. He didn't know what to do, so he did the only thinking he could think of, he ran all the way to Kaiba Land to ask for Yugi's help. He could have just called, but in his state of panic, Joey forgot he even had a cell phone.

xoxox xox xoxox

"Yugi! Yugi! Yugi!" Joey yelled as he arrived at Kaiba Land.

"Joey, what is it? How come you don't have any shoes on?" Yugi spotted the panicked Joey and ran over to him.

" Yugi, You have to help me! I'm gonna die if she reads it!" Joey yelled, still in his state of panic.

Yugi looked around and saw many people staring at them. "Calm down, let's go talk outside." Yugi dragged his desperate friend outside, away from most of the people and once at a safe distance, Joey narrated the events that occurred not too long ago. "I'm sorry Joey, maybe I shouldn't have asked you that."

"It's not your fault Yug, but we have to do something! I don't want Mai to think I'm some creepy stalker dude!"

"It's okay, we'll figure something out!" Yugi tried to make Joey calm down. "The first thing we have to do is keep Mai away from her email."

xoxox xox xoxox

They both ran to Mai's apartment and rang the doorbell several times. "I'm coming stop picking on my poor doorbell!" Mai opened the door and was a bit surprised to find Yugi and Joey. "Hi?"

Joey and Yugi looked at each other for answers. They had not formulated a plan, due to them being in such a hurry. "We're here to visit!" Yugi finally blurted out.

"Yeah, visit!" Joey agreed.

Mai noticed that they where acting strange, but invited them to come in anyway. "I was just about to read my emails, you guys want something? Something to drink? Cookies?" Joey nodded so quickly that his head nearly fell off. Mai just thought he just had an active appetite and went to get the refreshments.

As soon as Mai was out of the room, Joey ran over to the computer that was turned on in a corner and unplugged it. "Joey why did you do that?" Yugi whispered so Mai wouldn't hear. "So she can't check her email! We'll tell her the electricity failed and the computer was turned off all by itself," Joey proudly explained his master plan.

"She'll just see that it's unplugged!" Yugi plugged the computer again but didn't turn it back on. "Besides, we could have changed her password and locked her out, but now we can't."

Joey stared at Yugi, he was right. The blond hit his head on the wall repeatedly in frustration, his troubles would be over if he had only thought before he acted.

Mai came back from the kitchen with the snacks. "Why is Joey hitting his head on the wall and why did you turn off my computer?"

Joey quickly made up an excuse. "The electricity failed and turned off the computer by itself. I felt sorry for it because that's bad for computers!"

"I thought Kaiba was the only one who thought about computer's feelings," Mai said as she placed snacks on a small table in the middle of the living room. Joey obviously wasn't happy to be compared to Seto Kaiba and his well known obsession with computers and technology. At the mention of the CEO's name Yugi got an idea. "I just remembered there's something I have to do!" Yugi ran off, leaving Joey alone with Mai.

xoxox xox xoxox

Yugi arrived at Kaiba Corp. in record breaking time. That's around the time Yami woke up from the nap he had been taking in his soul room and Yugi explained the current situation. After mind crushing Kaiba Corp's security, Yugi and Yami made it to the top floor and ran into Seto's office. "Kaiba... I... need... help..." Yugi was out of breath from all that running.

"How did you get here?" Seto thought about who he would fire over this.

"No time to explain, you have to hack into Mai's email and delete a message Joey send by accident!" Yugi urged.

Seto laughed, causing Yugi to blink in confusion. "What do you really want, Yugi? A duel?" Seto asked.

Yugi realized this wouldn't be easy. "I'm not kidding, I really do want you to hack into Mai's email and delete a message Joey send by accident."

Realizing Yugi was serious, Seto grinned evilly. "Why should I?"

Tired from all the running around, Yugi was in no mood to argue. "Have some mercy this one time and help us out!"

Seto's answer took Yugi by surprise, "I'll see what I can do." As Seto demonstrated his hacking skills, Yugi could not help it but to feel nervous about the entire thing. Why would he agree to help so easily? Soon, Seto was in Mai's email.

"That's the one, delete it!" Yugi recognized the title of the email 'Re: Cards and stuff' but instead of deleting it, Seto opened it and forwarded it before Yugi could stop him. "What did you do?"

"I sent it to my own email, I thank you for this chance to play a very good joke on the mutt." Seto didn't know what was written on the email, but there had to be a reason the mutt didn't want Mai to read it.

"Don't you dare!" Yami took control.

"You can't stop me!" Seto laughed evilly.

"I challenge you to a duel to decide the fate of that email!" Seto accepted Yami's challenge and they had their duel. Yami won and Seto had to delete the email from Mai's inbox. Seto promised to delete it from his own email as well, so Yami returned to the Millennium Puzzle and Yugi returned to Mai's apartment.

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Yugi arrived at Mai's apartment to find that Joey was still there, talking to Mai about a new exercise he learned that had something to do with not wearing shoes. That was his excuse for the lack of shoes.

Yugi stayed for a while, they played duel monsters and even traded a few cards, until the sun began to set and it was time for Joey and Yugi to return to their respective homes. They said their goodbyes to Mai and walked home.

xoxox xox xoxox

"So Yug, I take it I'm safe?" Joey asked.

Yugi returned, he smiled and nodded discretely, as if assuring that all was well. "Yeah, I got Kaiba to go to Mai's email and delete it."

"Kaiba helped?!" Joey was in disbelief.

"Yami had to beat him in a duel first," Yugi admitted.

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A week passed uneventfully until one day, Joey was walking home when he heard Mai calling him. "Joey, I read your message!" She handed him a paper where she had printed his message. Joey feared she would proceed to scream his head off and call him everything from creepy to stalker, but instead she smiled. "It was so sweet that you published your email in the Kaiba Corp. website. It must have taken a lot of work to convince Kaiba to let you do it!" Mai hugged the surprised and confused Joey. Seto had actually helped; of course it was by accident, what Seto really wanted was revenge, but it all worked out in the end.

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More stories to come...

Disclaimer, I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!


	15. Card 43

Duel Deck

Card 43: Lost Star

Seto's Point of View

Of all the places I could be stuck in, I would never imagine I would be stuck here. This is a small town away from civilization. This is where the president of the company that supplies materials to Kaiba Corp. grew up in. With this new mass production of Duel Disks that are being shipped all over the world, it is important to have materials of good quality and his company can provide them. I came to sign a contact; his corporation will provide materials to Kaiba Corp. only now. That will hit the competition hard.

Why not just buy his corporation? At his age he claims to have no time or reason to expand the corporation, he would easily agree to sell, but that would give those who claim I run a monopoly something to talk about. As soon as they start complaining the press will jump in. Investigations to find out if what I have is a monopoly or not will take place and I do hate that long boring and useless process very much. They will not find a flaw; they will not find anything to accuse me for. I have a legal unofficial monopoly that grows at a steady pace but continues to be legal.

Given the fact that the man who owns this supply company has no one to run it, naturally a new CEO will be assigned after his death. Given the fact that not even death can break our contract, I will be able to assign who ever I want and be in control of his corporation even if it's not really mine, but it's almost like it was since I was given authority over it should anything happen to the current owner, and nature will eliminate him soon. Thirty years this contract lasts, but that man told me himself he suspected he had less than five years left and he has no family. I'm always ahead of everything... Okay, maybe not always.

Getting stuck in this old town with a name that is unimportant and I can't remember, was definitely not in my plans. How was I supposed to know that this area attracted thunderstorms like a magnet? Lightning hit my helicopter. I was piloting it myself and had just got off when it happened. Since no one was in the surrounding area, no one got hurt. The heavy rain that followed the lightning quickly put the flames out. If I had landed only five minutes later, I wouldn't be here right now.

I'm stuck inside a small hotel room until the heavy rain passes. If you can even call this tiny two floor building a hotel. The man with whom I ended a business deal today was also staying in this same hotel. With just the two of us as the only guests and this place is half full. There are only four rooms plus a small restaurant in the first floor. The restaurant must be what gives the family who lives here and owns this place some income, given the fact that this small town hardly gets any visitors.

Tired of the boredom of my room I head downstairs to have a snack. I don't expect to find a slice of pizza or a hamburger with fries and a Pepsi here, but I hope there is at least some decent food.

xoxox xox xoxox

When I get to the bottom of the stairs, the old man from the supplies company, Mr. Farmer motions his hand for me to go sit down at his table, I do so, it's not like I have anything better to do and I don't know anyone here. Besides, it makes for good customer relations, even if I find him annoying. He keeps calling me son and I'm certainly no son of his. I hate it when old people call everyone son or daughter, even if their not. I'm not sure how much longer I can take listening to his useless chatter.

He starts to tell me about the family who owns this place even if I did not ask. He tells me he knows this family well and that the one who owned this place was his neighbor and childhood friend, however, he died after being hit by lightning and his wife, Saremilla, continued running this place with her son Jack and daughter Belle. 'This is such a small town that everyone is your neighbor,' I'm tempted to say, but I don't.

Mr. Farmer tells me that Jack is the oldest and Belle is around my age. He points to a waitress and waves at her. "This is Belle," she keeps staring at me like I'm a strange bug. I guess the way I dress is very different from what people wear here. They look like it's the year 1500 with all the candles and lack of light switches, I came to the conclusion that there's no electricity. I honestly can't understand how anyone could live without technology, but I guess you can't miss what you never knew.

Belle asks us what we want. Mr. Farmer orders coffee. The weather is cold with all that rain and thunder storms, a warm drink sounds like the natural choice. Belle looks at me as if she's about to ask me what I want to drink, but asks a different question. "I was wondering... if you don't mind me asking... no offence... I just wanted to know... I'm really curious about..." I wish she would just ask what she's going to ask already. I give her an impatient look that could pass for a glare and she finally blurts out her question. "How do you make your coat stay up in the air like when you were coming down the stairs?" I sigh in frustration, what a ditz.

All that fuss about my coat. I guess that to her and everyone else here, I must look like some kind of alien from the future. To reinforce their little theory, before I can think of a simple answer that can keep the girl quiet, my cell phone rings. I take it from my coat and answer it. "Hello?" Everyone gives me strange looks because I'm talking to the little machine that sings again. That's what I heard them call it when it rang while I was discussing the contract earlier in this same table.

"Big Brother?" Mokuba's voice sounds like it's far away and it is, but it shouldn't sound that way. "When are...." static, "home?" The thunder and lightning must be affecting the signal.

"As soon as I can Mokuba," more static.

"What?" I hear him ask.

"As soon as I can!" I say a little louder. "Soon!" I hope he understood that over the static, I don't want to worry my little brother.

"Okay, big brother, I really" static, "you!" He must have said 'miss you' I assume.

"I have to go," I hope that when this conversation is over, people will stop staring at me.

"Bye Se," more static, "to!"

After I hang up, the waitress has forgotten her question about my coat and instead has a request. "May I hear Mokuba sing again?" I'm suddenly confused when she mentions my little brother's name, but I realize she means the cell phone, I said Mokuba so she must think that's its name.

I know the concept of cell phones will be hard to explain and instead press a few buttons and make the music play. Belle seems satisfied with this and finally asks me what I want to drink. Almost afraid I'll confuse her further and bring new questions to her mind, that she will ask me and not stop asking until she gets an answer, I debate whether or not I should ask for a frappuccino. Does she even know what that is? I don't want her interrogating me about it. I can't simply yell at her to shut up, not in my current situation. With this much static, I think the best decision is to wait for the weather to improve before calling someone to come pick me up. I'm stuck here and it's not smart to get people against me. If I am ever going to return to civilization I'll need... no, not help, Seto Kaiba doesn't need help from these low tech people. I'll need... directions, for lack of better word. So I simply ask for a cup of coffee.

I few minutes pass and she brings us the coffee. I wait for mine to cool off a little before trying it. It's the blackest coffee I ever saw. Didn't they put milk it? I take a sip and hate it, it's so sour. This definitely needs milk and sugar, but from fear of having these people send me out to find a cow if I want milk on my coffee or bringing a cow to the table, I keep quiet about the lack of milk and let the coffee cup sit at the table, hoping no one will notice that I didn't drink it and claim I offended their coffee and must die for my offence, or something like that.

The old man continued to tell me about his past here, something I find incredibly boring. These old semi-uncivilized people don't know where to draw the line when it comes to business. Don't they know that business is only business? He kept asking personal questions earlier, I guess my deathly glares finally made him understand that I did not want to talk about myself, so instead he told me about himself, as if hoping it'll make me talk about myself too, it won't.

This one way conversation is very boring, I can't wait until the storm ends so I can start to figure out a way to get out of here. I must also call my brother, he usually talks for longer than he did even when I say I have to go, he must have noticed the static and knew it was useless to try to have a conversation at the time.

xoxox xox xoxox

When the thunderstorm finally ends it's already dark outside. Luckily, I have a flashlight in my briefcase, I like to be prepared. I ate a late dinner just as Belle's brother, Jack, returned home from whatever his job outside the little hotel and restaurant is. His sister kept telling him about Mokuba, not my brother, my cell phone.

After finishing my dinner, which surprisingly wasn't bad, yet not as good as city food, he asks me to show him what has his sister so exited, so I press a few buttons on my cell phone and a little song plays. He seems amazed, but no as exited as her. I tell him I'm leaving, the man from the supplies company already went to sleep, so I need directions from someone else.

Like, I said I don't need help, I need directions. I need to tell the pilot that will pick me up exactly where to find me, I had the GPS integrated to my helicopter before, but now it's useless and I don't remember the coordinates I entered. I try to call using my cell phone, but to my disappointment, my battery has ran out. This can't be; I'm really stuck! No, there has to be a way out of here...

I ask for a way of transportation that would take me back to the city and Jack tells me that I need to first take a train, then I will find transportation in a near by town, where the train's tracks end. I thank him to be polite and not have him complain about city people being impolite as I'm still in public relations mode, then take my flashlight and briefcase.

When Jack sees me head for the door, he stops me and asks me to spend the night and leave in the morning. There's no way I'm staying in this low tech place any longer. I'm leaving now. The guy who's older than me, but not by too much, gets a look of terror in his face and his sister, who has been listening to the entire conversations, runs to me and practically begs me to stay. "For the safety of your life!" She's almost crying, as if I will die the minute I set foot outside.

"Listen," Jack insists, "there is a ghost out there, a wandering spirit, if it finds you, you will surely die." His tone is very serious and filled with fear. "Few have escaped the spirit alive and because you are new here, I'm certain you will not be able to do so."

"I'll be fine," I don't believe in such things. I want to get out of here, I want to be in civilization surrounded by technology again.

Without another word, I head for the door. Belle is crying now, telling her brother not to let me go. Why is she so sure I will die? "Every man decides his fate," Jack sighs and I leave.

xoxox xox xoxox

There are no streets here, just the ground. I saw some horses earlier, so I assume that's their way of transportation. What a show it was for them when they saw me land in my helicopter. I guess the only reason they're not saying anything about my flashlight now, is because they're too busy feeling sad about my supposed death that is to come.

I look at the wooden houses that appear to threaten to fall apart with the cold night wind. I hold my white coat closer and shiver. It's so cold here, dark and lifeless, no one in the streets at night at all. I guess everyone believes in this ghost legend and stays inside at night.

I quicken my pace and almost start running. I feel very uncomfortable, but I'm not afraid. I remember I must call Mokuba, too bad my cell doesn't have batteries and there's no place to find any here. I really want to talk to Mokuba now, I'm not afraid, but he might be. Even if he is back home, perfectly safe, while I'm out here freezing to death is this creepy dark place in the middle of nowhere.

Everything is silent until I hear the sound of a horse heading in my direction. I point the flashlight in the direction of the sounds and find Jack and Belle on a brown horse. She's still crying and he looks terrified.

He quickly tells me to ride the horse. That they are near town so they will make it back alright and that maybe because animals have an extra sense, the horse will protect me. The only problem is. "Because the horse doesn't know you, he may not trust you, so speak to him in a friendly way to gain his trust and protection, his name is Philippe," Jack explains and the two siblings head back to town, not without assuring me that the horse has been to the train station many times and knows the way. I guess a ride wouldn't be bad, but I don't want to get on that smelly animal and I'm certainly not talking to it.

Instead, I take the belt tied to his head and start walking, holding the belts with my right hand and the flash light with my left hand, as for my briefcase, I tied it to the horse's seat with a belt that was there. He might as well help carry something. After a while, I realize that the train station must be further than I thought, to make matters worse, my flashlight's battery runs out, leaving me in the dark.

Philippe seems to be unaffected by any of this as he stands still to my right. I wonder if he knows the way to the train station after all? Or maybe he was trained to return to his owner and this is all I trick to get me on the horse that will take me back to town to supposedly save my life. Either way, anything is better than standing in the darkness in the middle of nowhere.

As I ride on Philippe, I'm amazed by the fact that the darkness does not affect him at all. At least I hope it doesn't, because he is running at a steady pace, not too fast, but definitely faster then when I was walking. I hope he doesn't run off a cliff or anything.

The wind suddenly picks up. I hold on to Philippe wrapping my arms around his neck so I don't fall off. He started running faster and faster as the wind increased. "Slow down!" I call out, but the horse doesn't respond. Maybe I should have been friendly to it. The wind must have scared him. "Slow down, Philippe!" I try again, hoping to get a better response by using his name, but nothing changes.

Small drops of water begin to fall from the black skies. Why can't I find stars or the moon? It must not be time for the moon to be visible this time of the month. As for the stars, it must be the heavy rain clouds that are ever so present in this lost town and its surroundings. It's nothing paranormal, just nature.

"Philippe stop!" Forget about slowing down, I want to get off. The horse runs faster now, he must really hate me. "Stop, Philippe! Stop!" I yell at the top of my lungs as I hold on to his neck so I won't fall off. I must nearly be choking him, I wonder if that's the reason he's running faster, but wouldn't the lack of oxygen slow him down?

"Philippe, stop!" That is the last thing I manage to yell before lightning crashes near by followed by heavy rain, loud thunder and more lightning. This makes Philippe go on a rampage. I hold on for dear life, but Philippe manages to throw me off anyway. The last thing I remember is a sharp pain on my head before I lost consciousness.

xoxox xox xoxox

"Can you hear me?" I hear an unknown female voice and slowly open my eyes. There's a girl I don't know here. She has light blonde hair, green eyes, pale skin and is very thin. "Can you hear me?" She asks again.

"Yes," I reply and she gets a sad look in her face. It's strange that she is completely dry even after that storm, but maybe she was indoors at the time. What's even stranger is that even if she's sitting on the ground beside me, her white dress is not stained by the mud that made a mess of my coat. "I'm sorry, but there's still hope, just relax and think of the loved ones you would leave behind if you die." The girl started to sing a lullaby. I can't help it but to fall into a deep sleep and think of what she told me to. What a strange girl.

xoxox xox xoxox

When I wake up, I find myself in the hotel room from before. Jack comes in and sees me sitting up, then starts yelling as if it was big news that I woke up. I don't remember coming back here; Jack explains that Philippe returned alone with my briefcase, so he and Belle went off to find me in the morning. We both notice I'm still covered in mud. "Go get cleaned up, the bathroom is ready, there are some clothes there too."

xoxox xox xoxox

I could use some time in the shower, if they even have showers here, but when I'm downstairs Saremilla points at a door, I go in and find nothing but a wooden tub full of water, a towel, a bar of soap and two buckets of water. Where's the shower? More importantly where's the running water? No high tech tub that gives massages? I hate this place more with each passing second.

Left with no choice, I give myself the worse bath I've had in my life. Throw the dirty clothes in a basket in the corner and put on the clean clothes I found there. Must be Jack's, I hate them, but these are only clean clothes I have to wear. I should have packed an extra change of clothes, not to mention extra batteries for my cell phone and flashlight. I do have the cell phone's charger, but nowhere to plug it. This stupid town reminds me of a ghost town from a bad cow boy movie.

xoxox xox xoxox

I finally come out, feeling like a total idiot with these clothes and missing my nice gravity deifying coat. At least I'm getting less strange looks now. Saremilla goes to that sad excuse for a bathroom and takes the basket with clothes to who knows where to wash them. I don't think they have a professional laundry here. I don't even think they have a washing machine or a dryer and that's not good because that means I'll have to wait longer for my clothes to dry and my coat is supposed to be dry clean only. I don't think it will defy gravity as well as usual when Saremilla's done with it.

I'm just standing there trying to figure out what to do next when Mr. Farmer comes in. Apparently he got up early to look around town and came to say good bye to everyone, including me, even if he didn't recognize me at first. With the annoying old man who thinks everyone is his son or daughter gone, I decide to sit down and have some breakfast and also ask where they're keeping my briefcase.

As if to answer my unspoken question, Belle comes over and hands me my briefcase. "We thought you were dead at first and were going to burry it." The thought of it is just wrong. My lovely silver briefcase covered in dirt and mud, to eternally rest in this low tech place. That's just wrong. "Want some breakfast?" Belle asks.

I have no idea what kind of breakfasts they have here, but dinner wasn't so bad, so I don't think breakfast will be that bad either. One thing's for sure, I'm not ordering coffee again. I'm not ordering milk either, I really don't want to see Belle bring a cow to the table and with how strange these people are, she might. In the end, I just drink some orange juice and eat some bread, while listening to Jack's annoying comments about men drinking coffee in the morning and my breakfast being similar to that of a little girl's. I don't care what he says, I'm not drinking that stuff they dare to call coffee. These people seriously need to go to Star Bean and try some real coffee, a cappuccino, frappuccino, or any other thing that ends with 'ccinno'. Their coffee is more like black acid than coffee; it's a disgrace to coffee all over the world.

xoxox xox xoxox

After I'm done with breakfast, for some reason I remember the strange girl and ask Jack about it. I'm trying my best to stay in public relations mode and not punch or kick anyone, namely Jack for his earlier comment and stupid superstitions, or Saremilla might leave me stuck with these ugly clothes and not give me back my nice, cool clothes in revenge for fighting with her son.

Jack is scared as soon as I describe the girl. Is this guy a coward or what? "You saw Katrina, the spirit I warned you about." It seems that everyone here has an annoying tendency to listen to private conversations, because the room is filled with gasps from all the people who had come to eat breakfast and soon our table is surrounded by those who moved their chairs closer, to listen better and didn't even try to hide it. If I was their boss, I would fire them. I miss firing people; I haven't fired anyone since I got to this miserable excuse for a town.

"Katrina's mother died giving birth to her, her father was killed by lightning when she was eleven. She had gone out to find him during a thunder storm, even if she was told never to go out during a storm. Her father was just heading back to town when she saw lightning kill him right before her eyes. Katrina never had any friends ever since she was born; she had an unknown illness that made her very weak, thin and pale. She became very sad and lonely without her parents and her illness became worse. She convinced herself that the lightning killing her father was just a bad dream and every day she would wait for him to return from work. She died a few years later when she was around your age." When Jack finished his superstitious story, the room remained quiet, as if everyone was having a moment of silence for the death of a girl who died long ago. Jack looked especially sad and I could tell there was something he wasn't telling, but I did not ask about it, I don't want to hear more pointless superstitions.

After the silence ended, everyone returned to their drinks and food. Obviously the girl I saw wasn't Katrina, just a look alike. Either way, it didn't matter, because I wouldn't meet that strange girl again. I would be out of here as soon as Saremilla told me my clothes were ready. I hope that happens before it gets dark. I could get lost with no flashlight and I'm not degrading myself to the low tech use of a candle.

xoxox xox xoxox

It was after lunch that Saremilla handed me a basket with my clean clothes. I immediately changed, grabbed my briefcase and ignoring Jack and Belle's warning to run for dear life if I saw Katrina again, I left. When I was almost out of town, I heard Jack calling me and he offered that I take Philippe again. It took every once of will power I had not to punch him in the face there and then, I refused, gave him a deathly glare and immediately left without looking back.

As I walked further from town, I noticed the lack of vegetation; this was a semi-desert area with very few pants. Trees were very rare, I believe because of the lightning. It is the early afternoon, but I want to get to the train station quickly, I can't wait to get home, Mokuba might worry because he can't reach me on my cell phone. I start walking faster, but not quite running, until I see someone ahead and stop.

It's that strange girl again. She looks semi-transparent in the sun light, but that doesn't mean she's a ghost, there is no such thing. "Did they tell you about me? I know you told them you saw me, everyone does."

I'm still trying to figure out what's going on and why she looks like a bad hologram. She looked human when I first saw her, but it was night then. I could see her easily despite the darkness, that's another strange thing.

The Katrina look alike waits impatiently for my answer. "I don't believe you are a ghost," I continue, walking past her. I just want to get to that train station and back to civilization. I decide it's best to ignore this crazy girl.

"Bye!" She calls out and stops following me. Good, one less person to annoy me.

xoxox xox xoxox

I keep walking alone, just how far is this train station anyway? The sun is starting to annoy me; this is nothing like yesterday's weather. I'm tired of all this walking and wish I brought some water and a snack, anything except that horrible coffee. I should be back in the city by now, in Kaiba Corp ordering my employees around.

Just as my frustration is about to reach inhuman levels, I see something strange. There appears to be a man ahead, but why didn't I see him before? It's like he just appeared there. He looks familiar somehow. "You will need to curse her if you are to remove the curse she placed upon you." The Egyptian looking stranger spoke, then the golden key around his neck glowed and he disappeared.

A walk a little further and find some ruins, they are the ruins of an old train station. A cold chill runs down my spine as I look at those ruins. Isn't there supposed to be an actual train station here? I go take a look around, angry and frustrated about my bad luck.

As I approach the ruins I see a man, not the Egyptian with the key, this is someone else; he is similar to the people from that sad low tech excuse for a town. "Where is she?" He has reddish brown hair and blue eyes. "Tell me, please!" Great today I have a strange ability to find crazy people.

I try to stop him from following me out. "I'm sure she'll be here, wait for her," I don't know who he's talking about. He seams satisfied with my answer and goes back to his corner. The entire time he's been walking in the portion of the train station that still has some roof left.

As I try to leave, the man calls. "If you see her, give her this," he holds a peace of paper. "Please give her this; I will never bother you again if you do me this favor."

Annoyed, I take the paper and as I walk outside and the sunlight touches my hands, the once perfectly white neatly folded paper becomes a piece of wrinkled, old yellow paper and I quickly drop it. My big mistake was to turn around, when I did, I saw the man standing in a portion of the old wooden building that was once a train station, where there was no roof. But what I saw was not the young man I saw moments ago, this creature looked like a cadaver.

The creature was clearly falling apart, literally, and the smell of rot suddenly filled the air. "You dropped it," he spoke in the same young voice despite his physical state. I stand there in shock for a few seconds before running away faster then I ever ran before.

xoxox xox xoxox

For obvious reasons, I wasn't paying attention to the direction I was going as I sped away. I just wanted to get away from that zombie creature, not that I was scared, I just had a very unpleasant feeling about it and soon that feeling gets worse when I realize I ran all the way back to the same town I left. I don't understand, it makes no sense, why is it that it takes such a long time to get away from this place, yet I returned so soon?

It's almost sunset and if I try to leave again, I'll be lost in the darkness of the night. I'm not scared, it's just that it's pointless to leave now and get lost, besides I'm hungry from walking and running so much, so I return to that sad excuse for a restaurant for dinner.

xoxox xox xoxox

After dinner is over, I return to the boredom of my room and wait a little longer before going to sleep. Morning comes and I hardly slept at all, but I want to get an early start so I can finally leave this sad excuse for a town. I head down stairs to eat breakfast, I'll need the energy, then I set off in another journey out of here. This time I remembered to take food and water for the way.

As I walk, I feel like I'm going in circles, but that's impossible because I've been walking in straight line all along. I look at the desert ground and notice footprints with the letters KC in them. Those are my footprints; no one else has KC in the bottom of their boots. Why are they heading in all directions if I've been going in a straight line? Most importantly, why do I see a town identical to the one I'm tying to get away from ahead?

I cross the small town, realizing that indeed this is the same place I was in. How can this be? No two places are this much alike, how can I be back here again? I start running until I'm on the other side of town, then out of town. This is supposed to be the opposite direction to where I'm going, but I still can't believe how I got back here so I just keep moving, it's completely illogical.

Up ahead I see what looks like three tombs. Something makes me read the inscriptions. I don't know why, but I must read them. On the far left, "Saremilla Kadary, 1535-1579," I look at the one in the middle, "Jack Kadary, 1558-1579," finally the one on the far right, "Belle Kadary, 1562-1579." Not too far from those three tombs, that must be fake because I saw those three people alive not too long ago, I find another one. "Torinco Kadary, 1532-1570" This would be Saremilla's husband and father of Jack and Belle, if not for the fact that he couldn't have died that long ago. This must be a fake tomb too, or maybe people reuse names in this town very often, it's the only logical explanation to it and everything has a logical explanation, except the fact that I left in the opposite direction to this town and arrived in it again.

Further ahead there are more tombs, but I don't go look at them. I head back to the town I'm beginning to truly hate and as I walk, it starts to rain lightly, but I know the rain will turn heavy soon, so I go back to the hotel and restaurant, to wait for it to pass.

xoxox xox xoxox

As I sit here drinking the juice Belle just brought me, I can't help it but to feel completely helpless to leave this town. I feel like an unknown force is keeping me here. Is it because I saw the supposed ghost Katrina? There's something very strange going on here.

Today this place is empty. Saremilla and Belle are the only people here besides me right now. "Are you alright?" Belle asks.

"I'm fine," I'm still trying to stay in public relations mode, but sending the message that I don't want to start a conversation.

"I'm sorry," She apologizes seemingly for no reason, but somehow I believe she knows exactly why she is saying it. "I'm really sorry." She's hiding something.

"Belle, could you help me with something here?" Saremilla calls, but it sounds like the kind of thing people say when they want to have a private chat.

"Coming, mother!" Belle looks back at me once more as if there's something she wants to say but can't and then goes with Saremilla.

I'm sitting here alone in a low tech place, how depressing. This truly is a depressing atmosphere. I miss Mokuba, I miss technology, I miss firing people, I miss dueling, I miss my blue eyes white dragon plushie, I even miss things and people I never thought I would miss. Suddenly a terrible sadness overcomes me, as if I knew I wasn't going to get out of here. As if whatever has been causing me to stay, will not let me go until I die.

I open my silver briefcase that I took with me all this time and take a few pictures out. I sit there looking at them. I took this one of Mokuba playing a video game not too long ago. Here's one Mokuba took of me and Yugi dueling. I remember how Mokuba kept turning the camera around because no matter how he held it, the two of us wouldn't fit in the picture together. It was funny to watch, he finally backed away enough to get us both on the picture. When I'm done looking at the pictures, I put them back in my briefcase and close it, then finish drinking the juice. Why have so many strange things happened to keep me here?

Saremilla notices my miserable mood and comes over. "I really am sorry." Why are people apologizing to me? Saremilla doesn't sound sincere like Belle did. She sounds like she heard Belle say it and is apologizing also to see what my reaction will be, as if to test how much I know.

I've had it with people keeping information from me. I know they're hiding something. They must know something about the strange things that have been happening. I just know they can explain it but they pretend they don't know. I want answers and I want them now. I've ignored whatever is going on long enough, but now I really am starting to think that for some unknown reason someone or something is keeping me here. Why? I want to know what does whoever wants me to stay here wants. "What's really going on?"

Saremilla gives me a surprised look then glares at Belle, who was standing behind the counter pretending be to clean it, but obviously listening to everything. "Nothing is happening, I don't know what you're talking about," Saremilla leaves.

What if they keep telling me all this stuff and pretending they don't know what's going on to confuse me but they really want me dead? That would explain their strange behavior. Maybe they have a history as assassins and... and now I'm sounding like I'm making random theories to entertain Mokuba when we were playing Clue in the orphanage.

I'm shouldn't be remembering those days now. Those times are in the past and I can't explain why I'm remembering them. Maybe there is a serial killer out there. Maybe I'm the next victim and I'm having my life flash before my eyes a little early.

I must find out the truth, I'm beginning to think that if I don't, I won't be able to leave and go back to civilization. I'm relieved when the thunder and lightning sounds more distant, the storm must be passing. Finally, all I hear is a quiet light rain. I want to leave now. I don't care if I get wet, I must get to the bottom of this; so I leave.

xoxox xox xoxox

The rain eventually stops. I don't know if I caught a cold or something, but I'm feeling very tired. I can't think clearly. My thoughts no longer make sense to me. It's like my very soul is being drained away. I can't keep an idea for too long. I take a long time to assimilate information and I'm not sure I can tell the difference between realty and illusion right now. Maybe it's some kind of poison, maybe they poisoned me and it's affecting my mind.

I walk around endlessly, once again feeling as if I'm going in circles, then I see him again, the Egyptian with the golden key from before. "You cannot go out by yourself, but I'll open the way again," he disappears. I don't know how he appears and disappears like that, but it seems that I only actually get somewhere when I see him.

I walked for a long time and didn't really get anywhere until I saw him and arrived at the ruins of the train station where that zombie was. Now I arrive at was looks like the entrance to an old underground passage or some kind of mine. The sun is cooking me alive so I might as well go into the cave. It's very dark, but there's a bright light ahead at the end of the tunnel. I think I should go see what it is.

"She came from the Realm of Light not the Realm of Darkness. She came from the Star Realm not the Shadow Realm but that doesn't make her good, nor does it make her evil." A voice echoes in the tunnel, I don't like this, but I keep walking towards the light. "She is a star or light spirit, however you wish to call her," the voice continues. "She came to Earth because of me, Aeido Kadary, brother of Torinco Kadary." Aeido? Just who is this Aeido?

I have many questions but I don't say anything, I just listen. "She can control a portion of this land and make it look like it did before the storm that wiped out the town, but it drains her energy and makes her very weak. She wanted to revive me at the cost of an innocent life, against my will. When my vessel is restored yours will be gone. The souls of Saremilla, Jack and Belle only want their freedom from her spell; they will give her your life if they must. Every day is an eternal torment for them; they just want to be put to rest. I miss her how she used to be, but I don't want her to go on with this, yet she refused to let me die like the human I am, so she locked away my mind in this crystal, leaving my body with only a small portion of my mind, until it is restored. It is your life energy that she intends to use to restore my old vessel, this is what I know." I see the source of the light and the voice, a crystal.

The voice continues, "Mr. Farmer came because he bought the lands here. The spirit brainwashed him and replaced a few of his memories, but not all. He thinks he grew up here but that is not so. After he left the town, his memories where replaced again to make sense and the contract was, according to him, signed in Kaiba Corp, that is what Shadii told me. Such a resurrection as my own, would be a great disturbance to destiny. I hate to say this, but you must curse her to remove the curse she placed upon you."

I've had enough; I need to know what all of this means. "Who are you?" The blue purple crystal produces some kind of hologram; it's the man from the train station in his human version.

"I am Aeido, a human who lived here years ago, the one Katrina, the lost star, is trying to revive. She changed after my death; she didn't used to be like this." So a girl from another realm came to find this human, he dies and now she wants to revive him by killing me? This makes no sense at all, not that the fact that I'm talking to a hologram does. "Why me?"

"Everyone's energy flows differently, they way your energy flows is appropriate to be used with this particular spell. Look into the crystal's surface, like a mirror." The ghostly hologram disappears and I look into the crystal. My skin is white as a sheet, completely colorless. My eyes are turning gray and so is my hair. This is not my reflection, it just can't be. Do I feel lifeless because I really am being left lifeless.

I heard the voice from the crystal again. "You need to place a shield around yourself so that when she tries to steal your life energy it backfires." There is sadness in the voice, as if that's not what he truly wishes, yet knows it must be done.

"Now you know the truth," someone else speaks; I turn around and find the Egyptian with the golden key again. "I am Shadii; I will return your spirit to the past so that your other self may place the shield on you. When the it activates, it will automatically curse the one who tried to harm you, it will work only once and will be gone afterwards, but that is all you will need." The golden key glows.

xoxox xox xoxox

I find myself in a palace; it looks more like something from Ancient Egypt. I look out the window and see the desert, how did I get here? "He was telling the truth, you did come." Who ever said that sounds familiar, too familiar, almost like myself. I turn around slowly, almost as if I don't want to look. He looks like me, he's dressed like an Egyptian and is tanned, but he still looks almost exactly like me. He chants some words in Egyptian and points a golden rod at me. A strange light surrounds me and the next thing I know, I'm standing in the same town again but this time I see it for what it really is, just a few ruins. A helicopter lands near by and before I can fully understand what's going on Mokuba jumps on me. I'm not sure what just happened, but maybe its best if I simply forget about it and go home.

End Seto's PoV

Shadii's Point of View

As I walk around the area where those super natural events took place, I cannot help it but to be happy and sad at the same time. I am happy that we were able to solve this disturbance in destiny, yet I am sad for her, the lost star. The curse was suppose to instantly put her soul to rest, but instead it kept her spirit here, wandering around the town endlessly, she has forgotten her past, she has forgotten about Aeido and she has lost her powers.

I did not expect Seth to be able to do this much, to link her soul to this land so that she cannot rest, he had his reasons he said. Maybe he was overprotective of his future self and anyone who tried to hurt him would pay a high price, or maybe he did this for a reason unknown to me. I will leave it in the hands of destiny, everything happens for a reason.

Now Katrina is truly a lost star. She wanders this area endlessly. She cannot remember, she cannot feel. She's just an empty soul now. Without motivation to live or to die, she simply is...

End Shadii's PoV

Disclaimer, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!, Pepsi or Clue. Star Bean is from a Mario game. Aeido, Torinco and Kadary are towns from Phantasy Star 4: End of the Millennium. 


	16. Cards 44 to 49

Duel Deck

**Card 44: Workaholic**

Everything was so quiet that night in the Kaiba Corporation building, it was eerie. The only office in the entire building that still had a light was Seto Kaiba's office at the top floor. Everything was in absolute silence, save for the sound of his quick skillful typing. Just a few more lines of code and this new game would be finished. It wouldn't take too long; Mokuba could wait just a little longer for him to return.

Then again his little brother had probably already been defeated by sleep at this late hour of three in the morning. He had told Mokuba to go to bed even if he wasn't home. The boy needed his sleep; he wasn't used to going entire days without sleeping like his big brother was. Yet as much as he tried to deny it and show otherwise, he needed sleep too.

Whenever he didn't get enough sleep he was visibly crankier and with a shorter temper than usual. Who knows, maybe if he got more sleep, he would be just a tiny bit friendlier, maybe not too much, but just enough to notice. He stopped typing for a moment and reread the codes he had written so far. He moved the mouse and saved his work, but he wouldn't stop yet, he wasn't done.

Mokuba was probably asleep by now. He could wait until morning, he wouldn't know when Seto returned and he could pretend he got there earlier. Then Mokuba would stop worrying about his lack of sleep. No, his little brother would notice if he was telling the truth or not.

Seto threw himself back on the large comfortable chair and spun it around so his back was to the computer. He felt tired, but he wouldn't stop, not until he finished. He closed his eyes for just a moment, resting his vision. He had been staring at the computer screen for too long and his eyes were beginning to water.

Feeling as if sleep threatened to claim his consciousness, Seto quickly opened his eyes again. He stared into the night of Domino City on the other side of the large glass windows. He could see a few street lights and but no light came from most stores and houses. Most people were sleeping right now. Maybe he should be sleeping too but no, not until he finished.

Sleep would be more rewarding if he didn't sleep until he finished his work for today, even if it was technically already another day. Even if that meant only sleeping for an hour or two so he could be up early in time for breakfast, some morning work and getting to class after taking Mokuba to school.

He could let the chauffer drive him to school on the limo, but he hasn't been spending a lot of time with his little brother lately, so he wanted to do it himself. He turned his chair around again and the light of the computer screen hit him like a ton of bricks. His eyes were tired from staring at it for so long, but he had to continue.

To his frustration and annoyance, he wasn't typing like he usually did. He could easily type with his eyes closed before, but now he found himself missing a few keys even if he never had the need to look at the keyboard while he typed before. After making a few more mistakes, he continued his typing looking at the keyboard.

He wasn't typing as quickly as usual, now he took a little time to think where the next key was located. If he tried to type faster, he would end up hitting the key next to the one he wanted and the game's code could have no mistakes. It had to be perfect, everything he did had to be perfect, but it was never good enough.

He shook his head, saved his work and got up. Maybe after drinking a little water he could concentrate better. He stopped a few steps away from his desk. No water, he had to finish. He wouldn't go home, sleep or drink anything until he was done with that game, just as he planned to do. He forced himself to sit down again, ignored his thirst and pushed the sleep away as he continued typing.

He occasionally stopped and reread the code he had recently typed to make sure he made no mistakes. He had a feeling he was missing something. Of course, he never defined the value of that variable he was using in the line of code he was typing right now. How stupid, it won't work without the correct initial value. He mentally kicked himself for such an obvious mistake and quickly corrected it.

Seto continued his typing, ignoring his strong head ache. He couldn't allow himself to be this weak. He said he would finish before going home and so it shall be. He had to finish, he had no choice. This was his life. He typed faster now, making more mistakes. He went back to correct them all and suddenly his mind went blank. What was the code that was supposed to go there? What was the name of the variable to be used? He didn't remember.

Seto punched the desk hard and slammed his finger on the mouse area of the laptop. He quickly scrolled up to see the variable being used in another line of code and remembered its name. It had to be typed exactly as it was written or it wouldn't work. Now if he could only remember what he was going to do with it.

He scrolled back to the end of the program and started typing, hoping that the code would come to him as he went along. His hands moved all over the keyboard, he only used one or two fingers, but his hands moved quickly so his typing was still faster than most. Taking a deep breath as if he had just run ten miles, he saved his work again, in fear of losing it for whatever reason.

Losing his progress was unacceptable. Then he would have to start from the beginning again and he couldn't remember everything he typed so far exactly as he typed it. He could figure that out thinking about what he wanted the game to do, but he didn't want to think about that. He didn't want to think at all, his head hurt too much, but he couldn't leave. I didn't matter how bad he felt or how much he wanted to rest, he could simply not leave.

He felt so tapped in the office, he considered for a small moment running off to get away from everything, but he couldn't do that. His headache was making it hard for rational thoughts to stay rational. His logic was hard to understand and he didn't like it, he didn't like it at all. He had felt this stress before and thought he was used to it. He thought that this is how it's meant to be. He thought that it's the only way to improve. He felt this stress when he was little all the time.

He wanted to run, he wanted to take his little brother and run away but he couldn't. Gozaburo always stood there watching him. He didn't let him rest until he finished his work correctly. One mistake was enough to make him start over again from the beginning, but Gozaburo wasn't there anymore, then why was he still trapped? Did he not notice he was free to go home and no one could stop him?

He could go home now, home to his little brother. He could get something to drink, have a snack, take a relaxing warm shower and go to bed. He could fall into a deep sleep free of nightmares because that part of his life was over, but it wasn't forgotten. Yet he didn't know. He didn't know why he stayed there, why he was disappointed in himself most of the time and why he thought he was worthless if he wasn't the absolute perfect best at everything.

He felt bad for disappointing his brother. He said he would stop staying late at work, but he lied. He didn't mean to lie to Mokuba, yet he did. There was a sudden knock on the door that caught Seto off guard. The sound was quiet, but was clearly heard in the silence of the top floor of Kaiba Corporation. Seto jumped and wondered who it could be. Was it a thief? How could a thief get passed his security? Most importantly why in the world would a thief knock?

Maybe it was an employee. Maybe it was one of the security guards that stayed there at night. Maybe there's a problem that he must tend to right away. Seto saved his work once more and shut down the computer, then he opened the door ready for whatever bad news may come. "What is it?" Seto sounded alarmed and angry, mostly angry, but he didn't find one of his employees standing at the other side of the door.

Mokuba jumped back a little at his brother's sudden question and more so at the tone of it than the question itself. Seto looked surprised to find him there and before the CEO could ask what he was doing there, Mokuba answered. "You said you were going to have dinner with me but then you called and told me you had to work and would get some dinner here. I said I missed you and you told me that you would come home and have a late dessert with me, so I saved dessert to eat it with you but you didn't come. I snuck out and came here around eight. I waited for you at the lobby and told the guards not to say I was here, because I didn't wan to interrupt if you were busy. Then I fell asleep and woke up just now. Seto, I miss you and I'm here for you, just like you're always there for me big brother. There's something wrong, I can feel it, like when you know if anything happens to me."

"Mokuba..." Seto didn't know if he should be angry at Mokuba for sneaking out or happy that he was there. Seto had told him before to go to bed if he was late, Mokuba wasn't supposed to wait up for him. "I know little brother, I know." Seto hugged him. "Let's go home now and tomorrow I promise I'll have dinner with you. If I'm not there, you have permission to come over here and drag me home."

xoxox xox xoxox xox xoxox xox xoxox xox xoxox

**Card 45: Crazy DDR**

In Kaiba Land, a white haired boy was holding back another identical boy, in an effort to keep him from choking a certain CEO. A brown haired girl watched the scene as she gave an indignant speech. The girl was Tea and the CEO was Seto Kaiba. As for the two white haired boys, one of them was Ryou and the one attempting to choke Seto, was Bakura. The wavy lines of a flashback make their appearance and we travel back in time to earlier that afternoon.

xoxox xox xoxox

DDR was a very well known game. Tea Gardner, being a dancer, loved that game so she could not resist her curiosity when she saw a Kaiba Corp. flier announcing that said company will now not only produce Duel Disks, Dueling Arenas and milk, but also DDR machines. So she decided to sneak into the testing area of Kaiba Land, where the new DDR prototype was.

Tea watched as the high-tech DDR machines were being set up from her hiding place behind some boxes that were mysteriously there for no apparent reason other than to hide her. She could hardly contain her excitement counting the seconds until she got her chance to kick major four five five in KC DDR.

Concluding that she couldn't wait any longer, as soon as Seto and his employees were gone, Tea ran to one of the DDR machines and decided to try it, but just as she was about to do so, the door was once again opened and there stood Seto, dragging Ryou by the arm. "You said you would test my inventions!"

"No, they blow up all the time!" Ryou tried to break free.

As if on cue, the Millennium Ring around Ryou's neck glowed and Bakura separated from his hikari, materializing in a separate body. "Last time you tested one of Kaiba's inventions it was very amusing to watch." Bakura remembered when Ryou had tested the Automatic Poke Master 3000, which was a machine with many mechanical hands that poked people really fast. To win at the game, one had to poke it back faster, however if the player fell behind, the machine would poke harder.

As Seto and Bakura dragged Ryou to the DDR machine, they finally noticed Tea, who was just standing there. "Did you get another guinea pig?" Bakura pointed at Tea.

"I'm not his guinea pig!" Tea didn't like the fact that Bakura was pointing and looking at her as if she really was some kind of poor unfortunate guinea pig that had resulted strangely deformed in a failed lab experiment.

"In that case, whose guinea pig are you?" Bakura inquired annoyingly.

"I'm not an animal!" Tea's voice echoed all around Kaiba Land and possibly all around Domino City. Then there was an awkward moment of silence in which everyone occupied their time by staring at their own feet, waiting for someone to break the silence that came after the loud scream.

"Since you're here, do you want to try out the DDR machines?" That suspiciously innocent smile Seto had, should have been Tea's first clue that something wasn't right with those DDR machines, but she was too exited to try them out to notice.

"I'd love to!" Tea accepted the offer happily.

"Does this mean I'm not your only guinea pig anymore?" Ryou asked hopeful.

"I'm not his guinea pig, or anyone else's!" Tea added, making the grin in Bakura's face disappear, he was hoping to repeat his earlier comment, but now it just didn't fit in anymore.

Just as suddenly as lightning strikes, an OOC moment crashed on Seto. "No, she's just a temporary DDR tester not a guinea pig, you are and will always be my only true guinea pig."

"Really? Aw!" Ryou and Seto gave each other a friendly hug and immediately let go when they noticed Tea and Bakura directing strange stares at them.

"On with the test!" Seto became serious and Ryou went from fluffy and happy to panicked and scared.

"I don't want to test anything!" Ryou hid under Seto's anti-gravity coat.

While Seto tried to get Ryou out of his coat, Tea decided she could wait no longer and pulled Bakura into the DDR machine for a dance. The spirit protested and would have jumped right off, if not because suddenly he found that he could not control his body's movements. Tea was experiencing the same dilemma as she danced. "Kaiba what's this thing doing?" Tea yelled.

Ryou came out from under Seto's anti-gravity coat to watch the show while the CEO explained what was happening. "The Auto Dance mode is still in the testing stage; basically it controls your movements using a magnetic gravitational energy field and makes you follow the song exactly as it was programmed. It will let you go when the song is over."

"I could dance better than this!" Tea glared daggers at Seto who's machine had made her dance to badly and with the spirit of the Millennium Ring no less.

"I'm a computer genius not a professional dancer," Seto tried to defend himself.

xoxox xox xoxox

The wavy flashback lines appeared once more, only this time they were flash forward lines to bring us back to the present time. Bakura was still attempting to choke Seto and Ryou was still trying to stop him, while Tea criticized the dance choreography.

xoxox xox xoxox xox xoxox xox xoxox xox xoxox

**Card 46: Question**

It was another normal day in Kaiba Corporation, the CEO typed rapidly into his computer. Everything was silent except for the quiet sound of his office door being opened and gently closed soon after. He didn't have to look to know who had entered his office. None of his employees would dare to go into his office without first knocking, so the one who just arrived had to be his little brother Mokuba.

Feeling Mokuba's persistent and impatient stare on him, Seto looked up lightly, without stopping his typing. "Big brother, I have a question," Seto swallowed and nodded. For some reason unknown to him, he didn't like the tone of Mokuba's voice or the curiosity in his eyes. "Where do babies come from?" Mokuba blurted out impatiently, awaiting his brother's answer to the question he had been wondering about for some time now.

Seto's fingers stopped moving on the keyboard. The keys he had touched at that very instant remained pressed down and the letters appeared repeatedly on the screen, filling up page after page of unreadable gibberish. It wasn't until five pages later that the Seto finally left his state of shock. He smiled nervously, trying to make it look like a sweet smile. "Your big brother is busy and it's not nice to interrupt him when he is busy, so why don't you just go play with Roland and let your big brother finish his work?"

Mokuba stood there for a few seconds, wondering why Seto was talking about himself in third person. Soon, but not soon enough for the CEO, the raven haired boy nodded and left to find his brother's blue haired employee.

xoxox xox xoxox

Mokuba found Roland at his desk, going over some papers. "Hi, my big brother sent me here."

Roland repressed a sigh, thinking to himself that he had become more of a babysitter than an executive. Even so, taking a break from the paper work was a very welcoming thought and babysitting Mokuba would be the perfect excuse to do so. "What do you want to do today?" Roland already had a variety of board, card and handheld games in the drawers of his office, which he brought to keep Mokuba busy and out of trouble whenever Seto send him over.

"I want to ask you a question." For a moment, Roland imagined Mokuba asking if he wanted a raise, to be vice-president or something like that, could Seto finally have sent his little brother for purposes other than annoying Roland? Was Mokuba now the messenger boy to give him the good news? "Where do babies come from?" No such luck.

Roland woke up from his daydream and gave Mokuba a blank look as if he hasn't heard the question. "Pardon?"

"Where do babies come from?" Mokuba repeated his question, impatient to finally receive an answer.

Roland blinked and spoke quickly. "Well you see this kind of question is the kind of question that you should not be asking me, because this kind of question is the kind of question that you should be asking someone else, because this kind of question is the kind of question you should ask your brother," Roland took a deep breath after he finished.

Mokuba took a moment to interpret all those words that came without a pause. "I already asked him but he doesn't know." Mokuba's big brother always answered all his questions, so he assumed that the one time he couldn't answer a question, was simply because he didn't know the answer.

Roland was having a hard time trying not to laughing. So Seto Kaiba had his own corporation, his own amusement park, he even had his own brand of milk, yet he completely ignored the simple, yet not so simple to explain, facts of life. It was almost too funny to be true, but if Mokuba said it, it had to be the truth. "I'm sure that eventually your big brother will figure it out and tell you."

xoxox xox xoxox

Later, at the Kaiba Mansion, Seto was, for once in a lifetime taking a break from work and playing a video game called Harvest Moon. "Eat it," he told his character while pressing a few buttons on the control. "C'mon, just be nice and eat it or she'll think you don't like her cooking and you'll never have a baby." Unknown to Seto, Mokuba was watching him play. "That's it eat the live raw fish, I'm sure a baby will come soon." What more could his character do to prove his love to that horrible cook of a virtual girl? Nothing says I love you like eating a live fish.

'That's it!' Mokuba thought. The answer to his question had finally come. Raw live fish! That's were babies come from. The fish must evolve into human inside the parent's stomach. That also explained were mermaids came from. The mermaids must come from premature births where the evolution was not complete. But why didn't Seto tell him before? Maybe he was finding out just now too. 'You can learn a lot from videogames.' Mokuba smiled, he could use this new information to his advantage.

xoxox xox xoxox

The next day, Seto and Mokuba were on their way to Mako's house near the beach. "I still don't know why we have to come," Seto complained.

"Aw, c'mon big brother, Mako invited us to dinner and said he made something special so we should go," Mokuba pleaded.

Seto sighed in defeat. "Fine, we'll go have dinner with Mako."

xoxox xox xoxox

The dinner at Mako's house went by normally, save for the fact that Seto's dinner consisted of a live fish. After his discovery, Mokuba would never eat fish again so to make sure the plan was not ruined, he and Mako ate sushi instead, which was actually fish, but Mokuba didn't need to know since it doesn't look like a fish. Mako had a goofy smile plastered in his face and every time he said something, he giggled after every word, as if he wanted to laugh long and hard, but was holding it back.

When Mokuba called him and asked if he would make Seto pregnant, Mako was creeped out to say the least, but when Mokuba explained where he thought babies came from, Mako thought this joke was too irresistible to pass up. At Mokuba's insistence and Mako's teasing about not being man enough to eat like a real fisherman, Seto gulped down the live fish and nearly choke as it swam down his throat. Now all Mokuba had to do was wait and soon he would be an uncle.

xoxox xox xoxox

The morning of the next day, Mokuba was at Kaiba Land. His brother said he wasn't going to work because he had a bad stomachache and didn't even get up. Mokuba had called Mako but the fisherman assured him this was perfectly normal. The truth was Mako himself had eaten a few raw fishes and by now his stomach was used to it, so he knew Seto wasn't in any big danger. Seto had insisted that Mokuba went out and give him some time to rest, so the younger Kaiba found himself in the arcade section of Kaiba Land.

Mokuba spotted a familiar looking girl dancing on a DDR machine and waited until the song was over. "Tea, Tea! Guess what?"

"Hi Mokuba." Tea greeted, "what is it?"

"I'm going to be an uncle!" Mokuba proudly announced.

"You're what?" Tea nearly screamed in surprise.

"It's true, my brother's expecting a baby, so that means I'm going to be an uncle!" Mokuba cheered.

T a was left in shook. Kaiba was going to be a father? "Wow, that's great news! I know, We should have a baby shower. When is the baby coming and do you know if it's a boy or a girl?"

"I think it's coming really soon, but I don't know if it's a boy or a girl, I guess I'll have to wait until it's born to find out," Mokuba replied.

"No problem, we'll just follow the standard baby rule, blue for boys, pink for girls and yellow if you don't know. I bet I could have this planned out for this afternoon if that's okay?" Tea was ver excited.

"That would be great," Mokuba confirmed.

xoxox xox xoxox

That afternoon, Seto was still having stomach problems and spent the entire day trying to rest and not being able to do so because his stomach hurt so much. 'When I get better, I'm going to kill Mako,' Seto plotted as he hugged his Blue Eyes White Dragon plushie and tried to fall asleep.

Soon all the guests arrived. There was Tea, Yugi, Yami, Tristan, Joey, Serenity, Mai, Duke, Ryou, Bakura, Ishizu, Marik and Odion. Mako made up an excuse not to go, even if Tea insisted. Tea had managed to drag all of the others into the baby shower thing mostly because they were curious about the baby's mother. There they stood, with all sorts of yellow baby items.

Mokuba led them to the large living room. He wasn't sure how baby showers worked, but if it was a party they needed cake and ice-cream so he had told the maid to get some. The gifts were placed on a table in the corner of the room while everyone chatted about this unlikely turn of events and ate cake and ice-cream.

Finally, not being able to stand the curiosity any longer, Mai asked the question that was on everyone's mind. "So Mokuba, who is the poor unfortunate soul, I mean, who is the lucky girl that is giving birth to Kaiba's child?"

"Girl? What girl? Mokuba asked confused. "There no girl, Seto's laying an egg, I guess." Everyone stared at Mokuba.

"That is biologically impossible," Ryou pointed out.

"Biologically impossible?" Bakura voiced. "That's impossible in Biologically, in Domino too and in any other city!"

"But he ate a fish!" Once again everyone was confused even further by Mokuba's statement.

"What does a fish have to do with it?" Duke inquired.

"People have babies from eating live fish," Mokuba explained.

Laughter echoed in the room. Even if they had uselessly purchased all those yellow baby items, it wasn't all that bad; they still got to eat cake and ice-cream and got a good laugh out of it.

"Mokuba that's not where babies come from," Yami clarified.

"Yeah, the stork brings them," everyone looked at Yugi. "What? That's what Grandpa told me."

"Well at least Kaiba was a little more original with the entire fish thing, but the stork? That story is so old not even a four year old would believe it anymore," Tristan shook his head.

Ishizu sighted and shook her head, "Odion will explain everything."

"Why me?" Odion complained.

"Now!" Ishizu ordered.

Odion gulped and nodded.

xoxox xox xoxox xox xoxox xox xoxox xox xoxox

**Card 47: Broken Promise**

It was a stormy night in Domino city. At around 2:13am almost everyone had gone to sleep. Tonight, even Seto Kaiba, who frequently stayed up late working, had gone to sleep earlier than usual. He was tired and felt strange. He concluded that he was developing a cold, but it was something else.

"Big Brother?" Mokuba stood at the door. The storm frightened him and he needed to see his brother.

Seto woke as loud thunder crashed outside. "Mokuba?"

"Can I stay?" Mokuba asked. Seto nodded and soon the Kaiba brothers were asleep again.

xoxox xox xoxox

"Big Brother," Seto looked around, he wasn't in his room. It was Domino city at night, but it wasn't raining and there was no thunder, just a deadly silence. "They're looking for you Seto."

"Who is?"

"They..." The shadows moved on their own; claws, fangs reflected in those shadowy creatures. He saw them so clearly, but there was no one there.

"They came," Mokuba's voice was heard again. The shadows surrounded Seto, he was frozen in place unable to do anything but look at them. "They came for you big brother." The shadows started to become solid, horrible creatures of darkness. Mokuba's eyes began to glow red. Seto watched horrified as his little brother turned into one of them, the evil creatures. Indescribable, horrible, ferocious, scales, fangs, claws, they were shapeless beasts, too deformed to look like any specific species. "They'll get you like they got me."

xoxox xox xoxox

Seto woke up as the rain continued to fall. The thunder had ended and now only a little rain was left. Mokuba was still asleep. Mokuba, the reason why he tried hard to be the best at everything, his little brother, the one he had to protect. Seto glanced at the glow in the dark clock to see that it was 3:27am. Being it too early to get up, Seto decided to go to sleep again, but somehow those presences he felt in his dream wouldn't fade away.

The shadows on the walls of his room reflected by the moon light that came from the windows, appeared to move. The shadows on inanimate objects surrounded him. Seto closed his eyes and tried to push the images away. It was just a nightmare and those feelings would fade away soon, or so he thought. What he didn't know or didn't want to believe, was that it wasn't going to end so easily.

xoxox xox xoxox

Morning came and Seto had not slept any more. He felt somewhat relieved to see the sun light as if 'they' wouldn't come during the day. Even now he couldn't stop thinking of his dream. The day came and went normally save for that fact that sometimes Seto felt someone or something following him, yet there was nothing there.

Every now and then he would see a random shadow try to move, as if trying to get to him, but it was trapped by the light. Seto decided that it was a product of stress. He thought that taking a break would cure it, but it was only the beginning.

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Seto took a week off, something he would have never thought of doing. Even after seven days of nothing but playing video games with his brother, watching TV and sleeping most of the time, he was still stressed.

The shadows and the strange presences were worse now, as if someone or something was trying to torture him day by day. Seto thought that he felt this way because he was worried about getting behind in his work, he thought that instead of taking time off, he should just get his work done and he would feel better, but he didn't.

xoxox xox xoxox

At work things continued to get worse. He couldn't concentrate. There was the shadows he saw, the presences he felt and soon also voices. He wasn't able to understand very clearly what people told him, there was always another voice in the background. Threats, insults, why couldn't it all go away?

xoxox xox xoxox

It had been almost a month sine that night with the dream. Every sign pointed to the fact that there was something wrong, but Seto just didn't know what. He thought the entire situation was stupid and that he should just get over it, but he just couldn't. What could possibly be wrong?

The voices kept calling and the echoes joined in. Images now came to him outside of sleep. He put up a good show, faking that he felt fine, nobody knew the torture that he had to go through every day. That was his life now, it was something he knew. He started to forget what peace used to be. Inevitably, soon it started to show, everyone knew there was something wrong. People insisted to help in any way they could but, 'they' just wouldn't leave him alone. So time passed and it kept getting worse, realty was not known to him anymore.

xoxox xox xoxox

One day when he was trying to keep up with his work in his office at the Kaiba Mansion, Seto couldn't take it anymore. It was late at night. There was thunder, lightning and heavy rain, just like there was that day, the day when it all began. "Who are you? Show yourself!" There was no answer, but the shadows looked more threatening now. They surrounded him and started to take the shape of those creatures from his nightmare.

"Seto! Big Brother! Where are you?" Mokuba, he was in danger!

Seto ran to his little brother, pushing the monsters aside. "Mokuba!"

"Big brother," Mokuba was saying something, but Seto didn't understand. His language was strange like a cry of pain, anger and hatred. Mokuba's eyes glowed red like in Seto's nightmare.

"I got him," a voice echoed in Seto's head. "I am him," Mokuba began to change and Seto stepped back. The creature that had been disguised as Mokuba came closer.

"Now I'll get you," the voices echoed.

"What did you do to Mokuba?" Seto demanded.

"He's dead," the creature replied.

"No!" In desperate rage and sadness, Seto punched and kicked the creature. He didn't stop until it was beaten, unmoving and the shadows disappeared. With a crash of thunder Mokuba's body appeared on the floor. "Mokuba! Little brother, please say something." Mokuba was hurt, blood was everywhere, still fresh. "What did they do to you? Mokuba please, open your eyes you have to be alive!" Seto thought he felt Mokuba moving a little. "Mokuba?" He slowly woke up. "Mokuba..."

"Let me go!" Mokuba screamed as he struggled to get away.

"It's okay Mokuba, the monsters are gone, I won't let them get you." Seto no longer wondered if those things where real or not, he knew what he saw. A monster, a creature of darkness, possibly something that escaped from the Shadow Realm.

Tears ran down Mokuba's face as he continued to try to get away. "Let me go, please."

"It's alright, they're gone Mokuba, they're gone," Seto tried to calm his brother, who continued crying uncontrollably. "No one will hurt you again."

Mokuba looked at Seto. "No one?"

"No one."

"Never?" Mokuba tried to calm down.

"Never."

"Promise?"

"I promise," Seto assured.

"I believe you," Mokuba whispered.

Seto felt different now. He felt as if a large weigh was lifted off his shoulders. As if something that he needed to get out of his system was gone. For once in a long time he didn't feel stressed. He somehow knew that creature, whatever it was, would not return, at least not in a long time. Seto began to forget his encounter with it and soon every thing was back to normal.

xoxox xox xoxox

Mokuba had fully recovered and the Kaiba brothers were how they used to be. The memories of the dark event were lost by Seto. It was strange, but the truth was that he had fought and defeated this creature before. Mokuba would get hurt, Seto would fight the creature until it disappeared. Mokuba would recover and Seto would slowly forget. It was as if the same thing making those things happened was making Seto forget them.

xoxox xox xoxox

The years passed by slowly and the creature did not return, until one day Seto had that nightmare again. By now Mokuba was older and noticed there was something wrong. Seto told him about his nightmare, now things were different, it was okay to tell Mokuba, he was old enough not to be scared by the fact that his big brother had nightmares.

Mokuba tried to smile. "They will come for you, then you will defeat that creature like you always do, you'll defeat it and then it'll go away." Mokuba skipped the part about him getting hurt, knowing it would make his brother worry. "I know it doesn't make sense, but please believe me and don't worry about it, you've done this before."

xoxox xox xoxox

After having that talk with Seto, Mokuba couldn't stop thinking about it. He had figured out a long time ago what was happening, but he didn't want to admit it to Seto. He wanted his brother to continue his life without worries, to feel that relief that he obtained only when he defeated the shadow creature. Why not stop the creature from coming? Because it would bring Seto more pain that way, they tried that before, but that is also something that Seto forgot. Regardless of how he lived, it was already too late, the creature would awaken again. It had been sleeping within for a long time and it couldn't be permanently destroyed.

Mokuba wasn't looking forward to Seto's fight with the creature, but he knew it was coming as it had before. There was a pattern to it or so the doctor said during the time when the creature was being avoided completely.

He remembered Seto's promise from years ago, that no one would hurt him, never. He told Seto he believed him and he did, but Mokuba he knew he would still get hurt. Even if it was a lie, Mokuba still believe it because he understood. Seto was just trying to protect him, as he always had for as long as he could remember.

The medication used to stop the creature from returning was more painful than the days when Seto had to face it. Mokuba would rather be beat up every couple of years than to watch Seto in pain every day. It was best this way, this was the only way Seto could forget and have a few years of peace. "I believe you big brother and I forgive you."

xoxox xox xoxox xox xoxox xox xoxox xox xoxox

**Card 48: Perfect Dream**

Seto's Point of View

I'm not sure how or why I got here, when I got here or how long I've been here. All I know is that I must get out.

The last thing I remember is that I had a life that was real. I ran one of the world's greatest companies, I lived in a mansion with every material thing I could possibly want and most importantly I had my little brother. We both lived happy lives, even if sometimes we didn't spend a lot of time together because I was busy with work. But I'm sure he was happy as was I, even if I can't remember how I felt, I must have been.

My past is nothing but a forgotten shadow. I recall images and parts of events like pieces to a puzzle I can't solve. Everyday I ask myself how I got here and why I'm here in this unreal world, but I never get an answer. I know I must wake up from this dream.

I'm not sure how or when or why I got here, nor can I point out when my real life turned into this. All I know is that in this world it is the unspoken law that my happiness is above all. I wanted to beat Yugi at Duel Monsters and I did. I wanted to have a perfect monopoly without being bothered by the law and I did. I wanted my employees to work harder and they did, even if I did not say a word to them, I just thought. That's all I really need to do, I think about it and it happens.

You may think that I enjoy all of that and in the beginning I did, but back then I thought it was real. I was happy with all my success, but suddenly it started to feel too easy. Everything I wanted, I achieved it, until I could think of no more goals to chase and that somehow started to feel unreal, almost wrong.

One night I was feeling very frustrated with life in general. I haven't felt that miserable for a long time. As I lay awake in my room trying to fall asleep, I started to realize just how dream-like this life was and for the first time I started to truly hate it. I guess my anger must have made something snap somewhere because for a moment I was surrounded by darkness and cold.

I heard distant voices like echoes. "He's waking up!"

"Don't let him!" Someone called out.

"I'm trying!" Another person answered.

"Set the machine to full power!" Someone ordered.

After this I felt as if a thousand bolts of electricity hit my body and I was in my room again. Sleep came to me quickly, but when morning arrived, I did not dismiss that experience as a dream like I normally would have, because these are not normal circumstances that I'm living in.

I have come to the conclusion that I'm trapped in some kind of virtual world. This is a world where everyone and everything spins around me. You may think this is the perfect dream world, but it's not. I need a life that's real and just realizing this one isn't, makes it meaningless. I've had no success or victories, I was simply tricked.

As I became sad and angry all at once for letting myself be captured by whoever I heard out there I try to remember the moment when it happened, but I can't. All I have are images and sounds scattered all over, memories that don't fit in together. Even so, I will not give up. One day, if time even passes the same way here, I'll leave this place and whoever created this world will pay.

End Seto's PoV

Seto's Virtual Journal

Subject: Realization Date: Day 1 after 'The Truth'

I've decided to keep my progress on my plans to escape documented. This book in which I write is virtual, as is everything else here, yet I feel this information is more secure written down. For lack of better term, I'll call the event with the voices 'the truth'.

Subject: Malfunctions Date: Day 3 after 'The Truth'

I have conducted extensive research and came to the conclusion that it is my anger and sadness that makes the machinery glitch. Whatever this virtual world was built for, it's clear that to serve its purpose I must be happy. Considering how I'm feeling right now, it might not be too hard to cause malfunctions in the program that I can use to my advantage.

Subject: Debugged Date: Day 7 after 'The Truth'

It seams that the program used by this virtual world was debugged. I could feel things changing and soon challenges came. My company is in financial danger, but I know it will not go bankrupt. Whoever is in charge is trying to trick me, but it won't work.

Subject: Real Date: Day 10 after 'The Truth'

It's finally happened. I found someone real in the city. I think I used to know her, but can't remember who she is. Was she trapped in this world too? Is she trying to get out or will she simply enjoy the dream? Is this world is also nice to her. She ran away when she realized I noticed she was different. I'll try to find her again. I think she knows more about this place.

End Virtual Journal

Seto's Point of View

After chasing her half way across virtual Domino, she finally realized I wasn't giving up and stopped running. Now I'm face to face with someone I know has answers. "Who are you?"

"Your friend," she looked away. It's clear she doesn't want me to know who she is and may think that if I look at her I will remember. But why does she not want me to know? What does she hide?

"Why can't I remember you?" No matter how hard I try, I really can't remember her name or anything about her, but I'm certain that I knew her.

"Your memory was damaged when..." There's an eerie silence and she doesn't want to finish what she's saying. "I'm sorry! Please live happily in this world." She runs away again and like last time and I run after her, but this time she disappears into thin air. I suspect she can come in and out of this virtual world so why can't I?

End Seto's PoV

Seto's Virtual Journal

Subject: Him Date: Day 20 after 'The Truth'

I haven't seen the girl again, but I have seen someone else that I can sense is also real, unlike Yugi who came to duel earlier today but I refused, that Yugi is just a virtual copy. The new person I saw looked around my age, in fact, he looked a lot like me, but his hair was black. I don't know what his eyes are like since he is always wearing dark sunglasses. He was watching me with a sad expression, but disappeared whenever I tried to get closer. I have a feeling it will be hard to get him to talk.

End Virtual Journal

Seto's Point of View

Unexpectedly the girl showed up today. I was heading downstairs from this virtual copy of my mansion, ignoring the complaining from the virtual copy of Mokuba, which I locked in his room. It was hard to push him in and throw the door closed, but that was not my little brother. Then I found her sitting in the living room, holding my virtual cat. The entire virtual world went silent and I could no longer hear fake Mokuba's complaints to be let out. She placed the cat on the floor when she saw me and asked me to sit down.

I notice she is holding a small black box. "This virtual box is a symbol of the memories that were taken from you. Not the memories that you lost, these were taken. There will be things that you still won't remember. You won't know me, Mai, Joey or Duke; those memories are among the ones lost by accident. But you can still gain the truth, the real truth."

She's sounding very confusing with those names I've never heard. I do remember a scene where there was Yugi and there were people around him, people I don't know. A girl with long blond hair dressed in purple, a blond guy that for some unknown reason brings the word 'mutt' to my mind, a guy with a dice shaped earring and others. The picture gets blurry when I try to look at the others, there are girls and guys but I can't see them clearly. Out of all of them I only recognize Yugi and Ryou in this chard of memory. It's like the others never existed, I never met them, yet I know I have.

"He wanted to tell you this himself, but he couldn't, so instead you will remember. I give you back what was taken from you." She opens the little black box and a bright silver light comes from inside it. Everything is covered by light, the girl fades away and my memories return to me.

She was right, I still don't recognize the people from that memory even if the picture is very clear now. I see them so clearly, Yugi, Ryou, the guy with the dice earring, the blond girl hugging the guy whom I can't stop calling 'mutt'. I feel like I'm starting to remember the one I saw earlier in this world who was real. He must be who she was talking about, but what did he need to tell me that he couldn't?

It takes a while for me to put my memories in order but one thing is clear, death. Someone died, I watch those memories return like a movie before my eyes. Mokuba, I remember you were sick, but I didn't want to lose you. I built this machine for you, to keep you alive. But this wasn't the way it was meat to be, I never finished it.

No, wait, Mokuba recovered. That's the reason I didn't finish this machine, it was no longer needed. But someone died and if it wasn't Mokuba, who was it?

"Brother..." It's him, the unknown guy with the sunglasses. He doesn't have them now and I see his eyes are purple. He appeared here out of no where. "I'm sorry, I didn't want you to go. You lost some of your memories during the transfer to this world, but the memories of death were not lost. I erased them hoping that you could be happy. I had to make up for the lost memories by making you relive your past, but I wanted everything to be perfect, I wanted you to be happy. I'm sorry it turned out all wrong. I'm sorry I can't give you a life that's real."

I know who he is, "Mokuba?"

He hugs me but I can't feel anything. "Big Brother, I'm sorry I'm not as good as you with technology and I'm sorry I had to send a friend you accidentally forgot to speak to you before. I just couldn't do it myself and it wasn't easy for her either. All this anger and frustration short-circuited everything and I can't..."

"You can't keep the perfect dream going anymore. You can't keep me alive anymore. Mokuba, why did you trick me? Look at you, years have passed, but I don't remember anything, just small random scenes."

"Because being dead was too much for you. You were always depressed when I tried to keep you conscious, but I could tell you were trying very hard just to be there for me, so I thought you'd be happier this way. It was as if something was tormenting your very soul, as if it needed to be put to rest. I didn't want to let go and you didn't want to leave me, but I couldn't let you go on that way. Rest in peace big brother."

The memories come back now. I remember how every day after I died was an eternal torture, but I didn't want to leave my brother or her; too bad I can't remember her name. She appears now. My brother and this girl I can't remember, but I know I love, are the last thing I see before my soul finally rests.

End Seto's PoV

xoxox xox xoxox xox xoxox xox xoxox xox xoxox

**Card 49: A Thin Line**

-There is a thin line.-

'People say there's a thin line between many things and many of those things are opposites. For example: love and hate, pain and pleasure, sanity and insanity, you and me.'

-His footsteps echoed in the empty mansion and only stopped when he stood in front of a large mirror in his room.-

'Stare into the eyes of your enemy and savior. He's the one that keeps that feeling going for better or for worse. The one you need to control, but can't. Earn his trust and tell him what he wants to hear. Quote what some said that you believe is good and makes you feel like you're okay. Erase from your mind and from his what you didn't want to hear, the things they said that you deny are true. Reach for him make him trust you. Your enemy and your savior, there's a very thin line between them. Earn his trust; tell yourself you're doing well. This is not pain, this is something impossible to explain.'

-He touched the mirror and came closer to it.-

'I love you so much and I hate you so much, is there really a thin line in between those two feelings or are they the same thing? Is your life in my hands or is my life in yours? If my life is in yours, then let it fall, I cannot. I fear what may come at the end, yet if you take me there, I will let you, I cannot stop you.'

-He came closer to the mirror until his face was an inch away.-

'Will you open the door today like you do everyday?'

-He kissed his reflection.-

'Now I have your trust, now I am in control of you or are you in control of me? Either way, please let me go on with what must be done or do it yourself, grant me my escape. If the action comes from you or if the action comes from me, it matters not, as long as it's done.'

-He reached for the blade.-

'Cold isn't it? Do you feel fear? Or are you waiting anxiously for what is to come?'

-Metal against skin.-

'Is there truly a line between sanity and insanity? Are they truly different things? Do they even exist or are they the same thing looked at and interpreted from different points of view? How do you know that you're right and I'm wrong? If you're the one who's wrong, then you wouldn't know; it cannot be certain. Don't tell me this is pain, this is not pain, this is something I can't explain and you can't understand, unless you feel it caused by your own hands.'

-Red liquid flows.-

'If there is no line between sane and insane, between right and wrong, then they are the same, so all would be alright, but there is a line, a very thin line. I feel it, I see it, I have it. There is a line between reason and confusion. Reason and confusion are fighting for me and there is a line between them. The line is thin, the line is red, I see it, I have it, I made it. The line is mine.'

-There is a conflict.-

'By the time Mokuba returns we will have everything cleaned up. I don't want him to know. No one can know. If I find nothing wrong with my actions, if this is not wrong, then why do I hide it? I do not know.'

-He stared at his reflection.-

'This is our secret, our little secret, just you and me.'

-He placed his hand on the mirror.-

'This is my escape and my asylum and no one will take it away. There is a line between what people can know and what they can't know. The line is thin and the line is red. The line is mine to make.'

-Everyday it was the same.-

'This isn't painful, this is freedom. Maybe there is something new you would like to try?'

-He always spoke to the mirror.-

'Tell me, I want to know. I want to try something new. I want to go deeper into my asylum.'

-Each day he spoke to his reflection more as if it where another person.-

'I will try something different or will you? Are you coming up with an idea or am I? It doesn't matter, you are mine and I am yours, we belong to each other always.'

-He kissed his reflection like he always did.-

'You're in control now. I'll let you do what you want. Just help me escape, help me please. Take me to my asylum; you are my asylum deep inside.'

-He ran his fingers through his hair.-

'Don't ever let me go. Don't ever let them take this away from us. No one must know, ever.'

-Brown turned red.-

"Big Brother!"

-The echo of a child's voice.-

'No! Not now! I'm not done. No! I must go, but I will return! I'll come back to my asylum!'

-Blood stained clothes on the floor.-

'I won't be gone long. I'll be back. Hold that thought, that idea, that new door to my asylum, my escape and my freedom.'

-Clean clothes covered him.-

'I must go to my brother, but I will return! I'll be back soon! I'll be back for you!'

-He leaves his room and heads down the stairs.-

'I hate being interrupted. I will not be at peace until I finish. Please be quick in whatever you want, Mokuba. Why did you get back from Yugi's so soon?'

-A glance at a clock.-

'Why must time pass by so quickly? I don't get enough time in my asylum, I need more time with him.'

-A child runs to his arms.-

'Yes, I'm happy to see you too, Mokuba, but why did you have to call me now? I must not be angry, you don't know. You don't understand, you never will, lucky you.'

-Purple eyes spot red.-

'Why is he so quiet? Why is Mokuba not saying anything or even moving. He finally moved, he reached for something and I come closer, wondering what he wants. He wants to tell me something maybe? A secret that he must whisper to me even if there's no one else to hear? He poked my forehead with his finger.'

-The touch of blood.-

'I stare at my little brother's finger stained red. The cut under my hair must have been deeper than I thought. Blood came down on my forehead and the side of my face. Why wasn't I more careful? What am I thinking? He might suspect. His innocent mind must not be corrupted. He must not know. No one must!'

-Purple eyes meet blue.-

"Blood?"

-A child's tears.-

'I wasn't prepared for this. I never thought he would know. Why doesn't he believe me when I say I bumped my head? The blood flows into my hair and it feels different. It's more hidden, more protected, yet I made a mistake. What brings Mokuba to look at me like that? Does he know? Did he know all along?'

-Confused and filled with questions.-

"I don't understand big brother, why?"

-Questions that could not be answered.-

'He doesn't know what this is, he doesn't know what this means to me. He's too young, he must not find out, not now, not ever. This is my line, only mine, my doorway, my asylum yet it has made my brother cry. I hate he who made my brother sad. (Forgive me...) A voice echoes in my mind, but I pay no attention to it. It's my imagination; I just need to think of something to tell Mokuba.'

-Awaiting an answer that never came.-

'Days passed and I calmed Mokuba. I told him it was nothing and I don't want to lie to my brother. I feel my asylum calling me. (Come to me.) What is that voice that echoes in my mind? I hate you! You are not me! There is a thin line between being insane and being sane and I will stay sane, if only for Mokuba's sake. I don't care how much I want to go to you, I will not. (You admit it.) I'm arguing with myself, before I used to welcome this feeling. This feeling that made me feel as if I wasn't alone, as if there was another like me that understood me like only I can understand myself.'

-At work alone.-

'I hear him. (Come back.) No! (I didn't mean to make our brother sad.) Go away! (I'm sorry...) I need to get out of here. (Return!) A duel will do me some good.'

-Against the pharaoh.-

'He is distracted. He is not concentrating in the duel. Does he know too? Yugi... Mokuba wouldn't tell him, he didn't tell anyone, I just know he didn't, then why would he know? I don't think Mokuba even fully understands, or maybe he's smarter than I think? (I will help you win.) Go away, stop messing with my mind! I promised to stop! I promised Mokuba and myself!'

-The spirit of the Millennium Puzzle senses something.-

'Why isn't Yugi taking his turn? Why does he have that look in his face? The Millennium Puzzle glows, why? He will gain nothing with his silly tricks of ancient spirits and pharaohs.'

-The pharaoh interferes.-

"Kaiba, let me help you! I'll send the darkness to the Shadow Realm!"

-He could only watch.-

'I speak, "I am not the darkness," I have no control over my words. "I am not from the Shadow Realm," why do I say these things? "I do not hurt him," why does it feel like it's all a dream and I'm only part of an audience here. "I protect him," my voice sounds more distant by the second, I am not saying anything, yet those words are coming from me. "I am a part of him," I'm so tired... "Without me he dies," I don't know what's happening. Nothing makes sense but I'll just rest for a while, I'm so tired... There's a thin line between thinking something and doing it. There's a thin line between doing something willingly and letting it happen. He is the line...'

-Seto woke up alone in his room.-

'How did I get home? The last thing I remember was dueling Yugi at the Game Shop then the puzzle glowed and then... I don't remember. What happened? Did he send the voice away?'

-He got up and fell down in bed again.-

'I'm too dizzy and my head hurts. How did I get here in the first place? Was it all a dream? If it was a dream then he didn't send the voice away. Why don't I hear him? My asylum, where is he? Why did I say I hate him? Why is he gone?'

-Panic started to show.-

'He's gone he's really gone. No voices in my head. Yet I feel him here, there's still hope. Or am I just insane? I wanted the voice to stop and now I want it back. I'm alone without him, he is me and I am his.'

-He closed his eyes.-

'Then I hear him. (Rest hikari, sleep my light.) The voice is back. "You're here," I am relieved. (I just wanted to know that you don't want me gone. I don't want to hurt you so you must find another door, another way to get rid of stress, another door to your inner asylum.)

-It's all becoming clear to him.-

'I don't want things to change after all. "I am no light, I don't know of another door." (Search for it my dear darkness, you'll find it and then we will be one again. Then the conflict within you will stop and there will be no need to be separated. You and I will be the same. You'll feel your asylum in another way.) The voice fades away.'

-Now they are one again.-

'The spirit of the Millennium Puzzle must have understood, that he was only protecting me, keeping me sane. Now I need to move on to find a better door than the one that was my last resort.'

-He closed his eyes and rested.-

'There's a thin line between physical pain and emotional pain and sometimes one can cross that line and become the other. There's a thin line, the line is red, the line was mine, the line is healing, the line is gone.'

End

Disclaimer, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!, DDR or Harvest Moon.


	17. Card 50

Duel Deck

Card 50: Musical Ghost

Day after day for the past few months, Seto Kaiba had returned home from work very tired. It would seem that his stressful busy life was finally taking a toll on him. Everyday his little brother Mokuba came home from school and waited for Seto to return from Kaiba Corp. The CEO always worked late and when he arrived, he didn't even have the energy to eat dinner. Seto simply dragged himself up the stairs and collapsed in his bed into a deep much needed sleep. He didn't wake up until early the next morning. Took a shower, ate breakfast and left. Mokuba hardly spent time with him anymore and besides, that he was worried, all of this would be unhealthy for his big brother.

After much crying and begging from the younger Kaiba, Seto was sent off to a small log cabin in the middle of nowhere to "communicate with nature," as Mokuba put it. Seto wondered where his little brother would get such an idea, but soon it became clear: the TV. He must have heard some kind of anti-stress advertisement on TV and ordered one of those little overpriced guide books.

As they approached the cabin, Seto confirmed his suspicions when he noticed his little brother reading from a little book and trying to hide it at the same time. "Now I must... leave you alone to communicate with nature," Mokuba didn't like the book anymore, he didn't want to leave his brother, but even so, he had to do what was best. Seto had taken care of him since they were kids and now it was time to return that.

"I don't want to communicate with nature; I want to communicate with the Kaiba Corporation network!" Seto grumbled.

"But Seto, you have to! Your stress will go away and you'll be full of energy for the new day!" Mokuba repeated the rhyme written on the cover of the little book he still tried to hide.

Seto sighed, it was very important for his little brother, so he decided to do this. He would just have to work extra hard when he got back to make up for the time he wasted here.

Seto watched as the pilot took off in the helicopter. Mokuba waved goodbye from the window and he waved back. They didn't even have roads in this place and it was a miracle they found a stop clear enough to land the helicopter, as everything else was covered by an endless sea of tall trees.

After the helicopter was lost in the distance of the clear blue sky, Seto inspected the inside of the log cabin. It had a small kitchen, bathroom and bedroom. The furniture was made of wood and looked rather old. Why couldn't Mokuba pick a five star hotel for him to 'communicate with nature' in?

Seto took a seat in a small couch and got his laptop out of his briefcase. He had told Mokuba that the briefcase was full of camping supplies and for some unknown reason; the little Kaiba had actually believed it. The day went by quickly and uneventfully, Seto was relieved he had packed some 'city food' and plenty of extra batteries. Sometimes it even amazed him how many things he could keep inside that briefcase.

xoxox xox xoxox

The night soon came and Seto missed electricity even more. Walking around with a flashlight just isn't the same as a nice big light bulb above your head. He didn't know why but he wanted to go outside. He placed all his belongings back in his beloved briefcase and headed out with the flashlight in hand. He wasn't sure why he was bringing his briefcase along, but he had a feeling he should take it, as if he wouldn't return to the log cabin.

He heard an unrecognizable sound in the distance of the dense forest. It was if it the sound was calling him to go deeper into the darkness of the night. A cold wind blew and thick fog began to form. Soon, even the bright light of the flashlight was of no help for the CEO to know where he was going.

Seto continued walking into the cold darkness, looking around for anything familiar, but it was impossible to see in the darkness and fog. Even looking straight up at the skies, all he saw was the darkness, as any stars or moon that could be out there were covered by the tree branches and their leaves that moved slowly in the wind, as if dancing to the unknown sound.

As Seto came closer, the sound became clearer; it was music, a saxophone to be specific. Whoever was playing it was very good. He followed the sound, as if the music was hypnotizing him. As he got closer, the music started to sound familiar, as if he had heard that sound before, but didn't know where. Lyrics started coming to his mind and he sang without realizing it. The saxophone continued playing as he sang a little louder. He saw a shadowy figure up ahead with an item. He identified the item as a saxophone, he had found the musician or the musician found him.

xoxox xox xoxox

The next day, Mokuba had called Seto on his cell phone, which he was certain his brother had taken along, yet there was no answer. He became very worried as images of Seto's possible fate replayed over and over in his mind. Was he attacked by a bear or any other wild animal that tore him apart slowly and painfully to be fed to its cubs? Did he go for a walk and ate a poisoned berry from a strange bush and was now lying dead in the forest? Was he kidnapped by aliens from a far away planet who would perform strange experiments on him? Or maybe he got lost in the forest and wondered around endlessly until he starved to death? If that last one was the case, there was still hope!

Mokuba called Roland and the pilot and they flew off to the place where Seto was last seen. After searching the log cabin to find no signs of Seto except a few empty candy wrappers, Mokuba set off into the forest, followed by Roland, who knew Seto would fire him or worse if he let Mokuba go alone. They searched, and searched and found absolutely no sign of the missing CEO.

Desperate and frustrated, Mokuba did the only thing he could do; he hopped back in the helicopter and told the pilot to return to Domino City, he needed help.

xoxox xox xoxox

The helicopter landed in Yugi's backyard and Mokuba ran inside yelling for the puzzle hikari. This was what he did last time something happened to Seto when he was trapped in a virtual world by the Big Five and Yugi had helped, so he would help this time too.

Yugi listened to Mokuba narrate all he knew about Seto's disappearance and also discussed some of his theories about his brother's fate. All this time, Yugi had a discussion about it with Yami. The Pharaoh was starting to suspect this was the work of the Shadow Realm. Without wasting a single second, Yugi and Mokuba set off to return to the forest. Maybe the power of the Millennium Puzzle could help solve Seto's mysterious disappearance.

It was true that something strange was going on. Yugi hasn't seen Ryou or Bakura for some time. Nor had he seen the Ishtars and their museum remained closed for a lot longer than anyone would expect. A sign on the door of the Ishtar museum read "Gone on vacation, be back in two days". The paper had clearly suffered rain, wind and who knows what else and it had been much more than two days.

Back then Yugi thought nothing of it. Maybe they decided to stay on vacation longer, but this was very suspicious. First the Millennium Ring holder disappears along with his yami. Then the Ishtars who once had the Millennium Necklace and Millennium Rod respectably also disappear and now Seto Kaiba who was somehow also connected to the Millennium Items and Ancient Egypt. Why didn't he think of this before?

xoxox xox xoxox

By the time they arrived in the forest it was already nightfall. Armed with only flashlights, or a flashlight and a puzzle in Yugi's case, Yugi, Mokuba and Roland set out to search for Seto, ready to take on any and all dangers that may come across and rescue him.

To keep busy and not get scared, they talked along the way. Everything was fine until Roland mentioned a legend he knew about. Mokuba insisted that he told them. "A long time ago in this forest, there lived a young girl who loved music. Some were jealous of her and others admired her very much. One day, the girl's wicked stepmother took away the source of her happiness, a saxophone she had received from her father. This was the last thing she had of him. Her father was a merchant and gave her the instrument before leaving on a trip that he never came back from. She knew her father wouldn't leave her, so she assumed the worse. The girl taught herself to play the saxophone and played everyday since then."

Yugi and Mokuba's attention focused on the story.

Roland continued, "Her wicked stepmother threw the instrument in a lake located behind a group of log cabins where the villagers lived. The girl dived in and recovered her precious instrument, but refused to leave the lake. She floated in the waters, playing the saxophone at the same time. She knew that if she came out, her wicked stepmother would take the instrument away. She saw her walking around the small lake along with her enemies who where jealous of her. Her fiends came to help her and beat up her enemies. Her wicked stepmother ran back to the village and locked herself in her cabin, afraid of the girl's friends. Even after this, the girl refused to come out of the lake and her friends didn't know why. The girl sadly informed them that when she had dived after the saxophone, she had fallen head first into a sharp and hard bolder that was hidden by the lake's waters. Her body laid unconscious and dead in the bottom of the lake and now only her spirit remained. She just wanted to play the saxophone and let people hear her."

It was tragic, as most ghost stories tend to be.

Roland went on, "her friends built a hotel, casino and spa in the village after the musical ghost, as she came to be known, chased away the mean villagers, including her wicked stepmother and her enemies. The girl then played for everyone and waited for the day when her father's spirit would come to visit. After some time, her wish came true and her father's spirit was able to find her again. He had indeed died in an accident in his last trip, but now they where reunited once more."

Now it was time to connect the legend with reality.

"They say the girl's friends lived happy and peaceful lives till the end of their days in the hotel, casino and spa. Some also say that the girl's stepmother became insane after being chased away by the musical ghost. There are also different versions of this legend; there is also a version where he girl had a brother. In some versions he was away with their father and died also and in other versions he helped her friends beat up the mean people and stayed to help manage the hotel, casino and spa," everything was silent after Roland finished his narration.

After walking for some time, once again a cold wind began to blow and thick fog began to form and there was a distant echo of an indescribable sound. They continued their journey deep into the dark forest. The sound became clearer, it was a saxophone. They kept going until they spotted a shadowy figure with an item. Yugi waited for Yami to do something, anything but the spirit of the puzzle assured Yugi that everything was all right.

They came closer to the shadow and as the fog began to clear and a cool breeze blew, they saw it was a girl playing a saxophone. There were several people sitting around a camp fire near by, roasting marshmallows and listening to the music, singing along. When the song ended, the girl welcomed her new guests. "Welcome to my hotel, casino and spa, no reservations needed, enjoy your stay!" She smiled and added in an almost inaudible whisper, "one thousand dollars per day, per person."

Mokuba, Yugi and Roland blinked in confusing, Yami materialized outside the Millennium Puzzle and blinked as well.

"Mokuba!" Seto called from the campfire.

"Big Brother!" Mokuba ran to Seto and glomped him.

The Ishtars, Ryou and Bakura were also there. There were also with a few people who looked like the classic stereotypical tourists, with colorful shirts and cameras around their necks.

"I don't understand," Yugi voiced.

"We're here on vacation," Ryou smiled.

"Seto, why didn't you answer your cell phone, I was worried!" Mokuba whined giving Seto the chibi face.

"I'm sorry Moky, I must have left it in my room and I've been here all day roasting marshmallows and listening to the music." Soon another song started and the new guests joined everyone else roasting marshmallows around the campfire, talking about random things and signing to the sound of the saxophone. So maybe that legend was only a story to attract tourists after all, or was it?

xoxox xox xoxox

When everyone has already gone to sleep, the girl who played the saxophone took a walk around the resort that used to be a village and reached the lake behind it. "They're all sleeping now dad."

An older man appeared beside her. "I know; I was there just not visible."

"I know," she floated above the lake and played her saxophone some more, her father listened, enjoying every moment of the song. She saw her fiends reborn today and wondered what would have happened if her spirit was also put to rest.

End of Card 50

Disclaimer, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!


	18. Card 51

Duel Deck

Card 51: Seto's User Guide

It all began one day, a Monday morning, in Kaiba Corporation or more specifically in Seto Kaiba's office at Kaiba Corporation, when Roland handed Seto Kaiba some statistics representing the possible revenues that the company could obtain if he approved the marketing of a new product they had planned, the Virtual Seto Kaiba. The CEO was not exactly happy about having many virtual copies of him self running around all over the city, but the truth was he could not resist the possible profits that such a product would bring, so the Virtual Seto Kaiba was created.

The new product was a success and sales kept going up with many orders being filled every day. The Virtual Seto Kaiba was improved and upgraded and Kaiba Corporation also began to sell accessories and such things for him. However, some customers became confused by the many uses of the Virtual Seto Kaiba and how he worked, so to help the customers understand their Virtual Seto Kaiba better, make better use of him and accept the fact that Kaiba corporation is '73h 73ch', a standard Virtual Seto Kaiba user guide and instruction manual was issued to be included with the actual product.

A certain girl, among many others, had purchased a Virtual Seto Kaiba. The girl installed the software and managed to turn Virtual Seto Kaiba into a hologram and from there she managed to use Solid Vision to make him a solid virtual clone. However, he did not move or do anything, he was just a life size doll that didn't do or say anything. Before calling customer support to complain about her defective Virtual Seto Kaiba, the girl decided to actually read the user guide, aka instruction manual, that no one actually reads until they encounter a problem and give up guessing. "Virtual Seto Kaiba user guide and instruction manual."

"Part 1: How to activate your Virtual Seto Kaiba."

"Virtual Seto Kaibas or VSKs for short, are kept in small card shaped lockets which are actually high tech computer chips. You may make a special order if you wish to have a locket of a specific color. All lockets come equip with a sample picture of little Mokuba which can be removed and replaced with any picture of your choosing."

"After you remove the protective plastic wrapping from the card, plug it into your computer's mother board and follow the simple step by step installation instructions on your screen when you reboot the computer. Once the installation is complete, you can interact with your Virtual Seto Kaiba on your computer, he is compatible with any operating system."

"Part 2: Functions of the Virtual Seto Kaiba on the computer."

"The VSK, when on the computer environment acts as an anti virus program. He will detect and stop viruses by calling his Blue Eyes White Dragon function. For security reasons, the Blue Eyes White Dragon function only activates while the Virtual Seto Kaiba is in the computer environment. The White Lightning is effective not only against viruses, but also works as a pop up destroyer for those annoying ads."

"Caution: Do not attempt to launch the Blue Eyes White Dragon function or activate its White Lightning on your own, you must let your Virtual Seto Kaiba determine when the action is necessary."

"Warning: Kaiba Corporation will not be held responsible for any damage or loss of data that may occur to your computer because of the inadequate use of the Virtual Seto Kaiba, Blue Eyes White Dragon and or White Lightning programs."

"Your Virtual Seto Kaiba is also an excellent game player. He comes equipped with a virtual card database containing hundreds of cards for you to form your deck with. To add additional cards you must subscribe and download them via the internet. Once you have your subscription, you can set your Virtual Seto Kaiba to automatically update the card database whenever he detects a connection and new updates are available. With the subscription we also provide virus definition updates to make the Blue Eyes White Dragon function and its White Lightning more effective against new threats."

"You can also connect to our game server and test your Virtual Seto Kaiba's dueling skills against the skills of the Virtual Seto Kaibas of other people."

"Caution: To avoid upsetting your Virtual Seto Kaiba you must be very supportive if he loses and assure him that he is still the best."

"Part 3: Using your Virtual Seto Kaiba with holograms."

"Virtual Seto Kaiba is compatible with most hologram devises, however Kaiba Corporation's hologram technology is recommended for the best quality resolution possible. You can duel with your Holographic Virtual Seto Kaiba using any model of Kaiba Corporation Duel Disk. Pease do not treat your Holographic Virtual Seto Kaiba as a mere decoration, he will get bored and cranky if you ignore him. Holographic Virtual Seto Kaiba and Solid Virtual Seto Kaiba use voice command technology."

"Caution: The use of cell phones and other such devises near your holographic Virtual Seto Kaiba may cause some interference; this does not apply to Solid Virtual Seto Kaiba."

"Part 4: Using Solid Vision with Virtual Seto Kaiba."

"With Solid Vision the abilities of your Virtual Seto Kaiba increase greatly. First you must install him on your computer and project the hologram. Then plug in a standard USB port Kaiba Corporation Solid Vision creator and choose the Solid Virtual Seto Kaiba option on your screen. Please do not interact with the computer or your Virtual Seto Kaiba while he is becoming solid. If any errors occur, reboot your computer and start the process from the beginning, making sure everything is connected and functioning properly. If you experience further difficulties contact Kaiba Corporation's customer support twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week for a small fee of only one dollar... (per second)."

The girl rolled her eyes, she was now glad she didn't call customer support after all, but she was still yet to find the answer to her problem so she continued reading.

"To ensure that the Solid Vision process has been completed successfully, gently poke your Solid Virtual Seto Kaiba to ensure he is in fact solid."

"Caution: Do not poke him with a sharp object and do not poke him at all in the eyes or other sensitive areas, this will make him angry and uncomfortable and he will not function at his best."

"Part 5: Functions of the Solid Virtual Seto Kaiba."

"Some of Solid Virtual Seto Kaiba's functions are listed here but are not limited to: doing your homework, babysitting children and pets (except dogs), organizing your Duel Monsters deck, repairing all your Kaiba Corporation products as well as other electronics. He can also drive cars and motorcycles as well as pilot helicopters and airplanes. He is not programmed for doing chores such as washing dishes, doing the laundry, cleaning the house and other such things. Solid Virtual Seto Kaiba prefers cats to dogs and does not generally get along well with dogs, so please do not leave him alone with your dog."

"Warning: Kaiba Corporation will not be held responsible for any damage that occurs to your Solid Virtual Seto Kaiba and or your dog if you leave them unattended."

"Part 6: Accessories."

"There are many accessories that you can purchase for your Virtual Seto Kaiba, other than the duel disk, to use these accessories he must be in solid mode. Here are a few accessories, check the Kaiba Corporation Virtual Seto Kaiba catalog for more."

"Cat Ears, when placed on Solid Virtual Seto Kaiba the cat ears will make him act cat-like, he will purr if you pet him and allow you to pet him as much as you want as long as you do so in an appropriate way, not too hard. He will also take frequent naps, which is good since he doesn't generally sleep a lot, and play with cat toys. The Cat Ears come with a little bell collar which you can put on your Solid Virtual Seto Kaiba or wear it yourself and a toy Blue Eyes White Dragon with mouse ears for him to play with. Due to inappropriate use in the past, such as excessive pulling, the cat tail accessory has been discontinued."

"Bunny Ears, when placed on Solid Virtual Seto Kaiba's head, the Bunny Ears will make him act all cute and cuddly. He will experience the urge to eat carrots and cuddle soft fluffy things such as plushies. The Bunny Ears come with a Blue Eyes White Dragon plushie in a carrot suit for him to play with."

"Caution: Do not mix two different animal ears, his behavior in such cases is unpredictable and or insane and could be violent and or dangerous."

"Part 7: The three alternate personalities."

"Virtual Seto Kaiba has three alternate personalities; they are similar but have a few differences. The three personalities are CEO, Big Brother and Bishounen. What personality he uses is up to the user to decide, however we would like to make a few suggestions. The CEO personality works best when you want him to do your homework or repair electronics. The Big Brother personality works best when you want him to baby-sit and the Bishounen personality makes him a little more tolerant toward fan behavior such as hugging and or glomping."

"Part 8: Recharging Solid Virtual Seto Kaiba's energy."

"We have provided a special connector used to recharge Solid Virtual Seto Kaiba. The other forms of Virtual Seto Kaiba will get their energy from your computer or hologram machine respectively. To recharge Solid Virtual Seto Kaiba you may place the plastic end of the white connector cable provided in his mouth and place the USB plug end on your computer, then choose the recharge option on the screen. However, he will keep the computer's CPU occupied recharging so the computer cannot be used during this time except for the Virtual Seto Kaiba program."

"To speed up the process you may change him back into a hologram or load him back into the computer by selecting those options from the program you installed, while the connector is attached. If you wish to keep him in solid form, there are alternative ways to recharge his energy without keeping your computer busy. You can place the straw like end of the blue connector cable provided in his mouth and plug the other end to an electric outlet on the wall or simply feed him. Solid Virtual Seto Kaiba is capable of converting almost any kind of food into energy, but if the food tastes bad, he will complain and refuse to eat it."

"Part 9: The Dos and Don'ts of Solid Virtual Seto Kaiba."

"You should take him for a walk every now and then. Do not leave him out in the sun for too long because he has sensitive skin and can get sun burned very easily. Let him interact with other Solid Virtual Seto Kaibas. Do not let him get too overly competitive with other Solid Virtual Seto Kaibas. Tell him he is a good duelist and duel him often, also tell him he's cute and give him lots of compliments. Don't glomp him too hard, once in solid mode he will need oxygen to function properly. Let him use your computer or provide him with a computer of his own."

"Do not insult him; yell at him for no reason, kick him, punch him, slap him and so on. If you are reported as having abusive behavior toward your Virtual Seto Kaiba, solid or not, your Virtual Seto Kaiba will be taken away and donated to a random fan girl who will be nice to him."

"Caution: To ensure appropriate use, Solid Virtual Seto Kaiba is equipped with a mind reading devise that detects bad intensions, if such thoughts occur, he will warn you to maintain your distance and if you do not listen to his warning, he will immediately self destruct."

"Warning: Kaiba Corporation will not be held responsible for any damage that occurs due to Solid Virtual Seto Kaiba activating the self destruct function in his own defense, we will not be held liable because of property damage, fires caused by the explosion, severe emotional trauma, any kind of injuries including serious or mortal injuries, death, etc."

"Part 10: (Very) Limited Warranty."

"Virtual Seto Kaiba in all his forms comes with a thirty day limited warranty. If he is behaving strangely, does not listen to voice commands or any other troubles occur, please bring him to the nearest Kaiba Corp or Kaiba Land and we will repair or replace him for a small fee of five thousand dollars. If you are missing the white and or blue connector cables contact customer support and we will mail the missing cables to you for a small fee of one hundred dollars per cable."

The girl blinked, so if Kaiba Corp. forgot to include a part people still had to pay for it? As if the basic Virtual Seto Kaiba set wasn't expensive enough already and then there was the Solid Vision creator. Besides, doesn't warranty mean not paying? She decided not to think too much of it for now and continued reading, the warranty would at least still be cheaper than getting a whole new product, but luckily hers was complete, so she didn't need it.

"Part 11: Troubleshooting."

"Your Virtual Seto Kaiba in solid or hologram mode won't stop staring at himself in the mirror, this issue has been known to happen when he is in Bishonen mode. Use the voice command to switch him to CEO mode and ask him to help you with your homework, if you do not have any, he will simply inform you that it is finished and most likely he won't go back to the mirror for a while."

"If your Solid Virtual Seto Kaiba is damaged in any way, place the plastic end of the white connector cable provided in his mouth then connect the USB plug end to your computer and choose the restore option from the Virtual Seto Kaiba program you installed before. Solid Virtual Seto Kaiba will be surrounded by electromagnetic energy from the Solid Vision Creator and he will be restored to a functional state."

"Caution: Do not interact with Virtual Seto Kaiba, the Solid vision Creator or the computer until the process is complete."

"If your Solid Virtual Seto Kaiba was stolen, lost or kidnapped you may use the radar option on the program installed on your computer to track him down. For a small extra fee of one hundred dollars per hour you may request the service from Kaiba Corporation's rescue team."

"If your Solid Virtual Seto Kaiba does not move, talk or do anything at all it may be time to replace his batteries which are located in the little square box on the KC belt buckle. Caution: Do not attempt to place batteries in his mouth, ears or any where else except the space provided."

The girl took a deep breath, she had read the entire thing without even stopping to breathe. "Finally! Why is it that they always put the important stuff at the very end?" She then placed the Solid Virtual Seto Kaiba on a chair and opened the KC belt buckle, where there was a space for two small batteries, she knew that buckle had to be that big for a reason and suddenly wondered if the real Seto Kaiba kept spare batteries in there as well.

She grabbed the box where everything came in, but it was empty, looking at the front of the box she noticed something, "batteries not included" was written in the lower right corner. Sighing impatiently, she set off to search for a pair of small batteries.

She then noticed a pink haired girl who kept staring at the unconscious Solid Virtual Seto Kaiba from the window. Recognizing the pink haired girl, she grabbed the Virtual Seto Kaiba user guide and instruction manual and threw it at her, hitting her on the head and scaring her away. "Back off Mary Sue, go buy your own!" She closed the window and resumed her search for batteries finding none.

She decided to borrow the TV's remote control's batteries and finally she was the happy owner of a Solid Virtual Seto Kaiba, a very life like virtual clone of Seto Kaiba, ideal for any fan girl.

End of Card 51

Disclaimer, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! It was inspired by the episode in Noa's arc with the Virtual Seto that Seto created to duel with.


	19. Cards 52

Two crossovers slipped into this collection but I noticed and organized everything where it should go. I removed them from here and updated "Side Deck" (Yu-Gi-Oh! crossovers one shot collection).

Duel Deck

Card 52: Blue Eyes

The heavy rain crashed against the windows of the car threatening to break them. Soon the two people in the car reached their destination. The mansion stood tall and strong, unmoved by the violent wind and unaffected by the abundant heavy rain. The two people in the car quickly ran inside to escape the rain as soon as the car was parked in front of the mansion.

Just as requested, their belongings were delivered to the mansion, however everything was still in boxes, but it was a late hour of the night and neither of them felt like unpacking. What's the hurry if they had the rest of their happy lives to unpack, they planned to live here forever, but the young couple didn't know that their lives would soon be cut short and the mansion would be purchased by someone else.

"Nice place you have here," the young woman commented.

"Yeah," her husband smiled. "I inherited this place from my uncle."

The woman looked at a picture that hung on the wall. "This was your uncle?"

Her husband nodded in response.

"What happened to him?"

Her husband paused thinking about it before answering. "No one knows... the only information I was given was that he was killed by a ghost who lives here, of course there is no such a thing."

The topic of the man's uncle and the ghost who supposedly killed him was not further discussed as neither of them believed in such things. The young couple, tired from the trip, decided to get some rest. They headed upstairs to the fifth floor of the large mansion. There was an old room with a bed; the only other furniture in the room was a small table with a lamp on it. Tired from their trip, sleep came to them quickly.

xoxox xox xoxox

A loud crash of thunder was heard hours later. The woman was wakened by it and glanced at her husband after tuning the lamp on. He was still sleeping beside her. She rolled her eyes and concluded her husband slept like a rock and nothing could wake him, then turned the lights off and tried to fall asleep again. However, she couldn't fall asleep, she felt as if there was someone watching her, yet there was no one else there.

The storm continued to get worse as the wind tried to break the walls of the mansion that still stayed strong. The heavy rain pushed by the winds hit the windows with amazing force constantly. Then there was the thunder that crashed loudly without warning. She wondered if it was simply the storm that made her nervous, or if there was something more to worry about. The woman whose name was Juliet, decided that she needed to calm herself before going to sleep. Maybe some milk would help, so she headed off to the kitchen, their refrigerator should have been stoked as per the instructions.

Juliet quietly walked out of the bedroom and closed the door behind her. She turned on the lights and headed down the stairs. The storm continued to rage outside and it scared her, but she kept telling herself she wasn't a little girl and shouldn't be frightened by such things. Another crash of loud thunder landed near by, causing a short-circuit and making Juliet almost scream.

She took a deep breath and continued walking, touching the walls in hopes of not getting lost in the large mansion she has just beginning to get to know. Juliet managed to find her way in the darkness and finally reached the kitchen. The occasional thunder that crashed near by accompanied by plenty of lightning, lighted her path every now and then. She opened the refrigerator and took some milk out. The electricity had only been gone for a few minutes so the milk was still cold.

Suddenly, the wind got stronger and the rain threatened to make holes on the walls. Of course the mansion was built strong enough to withstand such storms with no problems, yet Juliet felt as if something terrible was about to happen. Forgetting about her glass of milk, she ran in the darkness back to the room she shared with her husband. She tripped several times as she wasn't paying attention to where she was going due to her hurry. She didn't understand why this panic had suddenly taken over, but she knew that there was something wrong.

She was almost back in their room when her suspensions were confirmed by a terror filled scream of agony that Juliet knew belonged to her husband. She ran as fast as she could and opened the door to their room. The electricity returned and the storm began to calm down. The light just outside their room was left on and Juliet stood at the door staring at the dead body of her husband. She turned on the lights inside the room to get a better look and screamed when she saw his expression of pure terror, as if it was fear itself that had killed him.

xoxox xox xoxox

Months later, the doctors of a mental institution where Juliet now resided, were trying their best to convince her that a ghost did not kill her husband, but there was just no way to reason with her. She kept going on and on about the spirit that spoke to her, claiming that he was only taking what was rightfully his. She had asked the spirit what it meant and the spirit said that he husband died because he claimed to own this mansion.

She was not of the descendants he cursed so her life was sparred if she left. The poor young woman, everyone who worked there pitied her. How she would spend hours speaking of the spirit with blue eyes. She was terrified to even go near anyone with blue eyes thinking that it was another incarnation of the ghost. She would never recover from this.

The question came as to what would happen to the mansion. The family members that would inherit it after hearing Juliet's side of the story did not want anything to do with it, so the mansion would be sold to the highest bidder. Pictures of the mansion were posted online and in magazines and many people bid when the auction came, but one particular person had taken a liking to that mansion even if he hasn't visited it. He was the one who won the auction, Seto Kaiba.

xoxox xox xoxox

Mokuba sat next to the window of Seto's private jet as they flew to see their new mansion. "Where are we going big brother?"

"To our new mansion, the one I showed you in the picture," Seto answered without taking his eyes off the laptop computer's screen.

"Isn't that where Dracula lives?" Mokuba didn't like the mansion, but Seto just couldn't understand why.

The rest of the trip went by quietly and uneventfully, until they arrived at their new mansion. Seto had ordered the place to be cleaned and filled with new furniture. He was also told of the story of the ghost when he was finishing up the paper work, but of course he did not believe it.

xoxox xox xoxox

The Kaiba brothers arrived at the mansion around mid night. Mokuba was very tired from the trip and after he managed to find his room, he decided to go to sleep. Seto's room was right next to Mokuba's, but the CEO, as always, was staying up late working. He was typing on his laptop computer when it began to rain. The wind, the heavy rain and the thunder signaled the beginning of a storm. The storm became stronger and soon the electricity was out. Seto shut down his laptop computer before its battery ran out and searched for a flashlight, the emergency generators had not yet been installed.

The loud rain, wind and thunder woke Mokuba. He covered himself completely, hoping that the covers would block out the sound, but they didn't. Mokuba somehow knew he wouldn't be able to sleep if he stayed there, so without thinking about it any longer, he ran to his brother's room.

Seto had by then found a flashlight that he placed on a small table next to his bed in case he needed to get up for whatever reason. He was currently fast asleep, hugging his blue eyes white dragon plushie. Something watched him from the shadows, slowly coming closer and it wasn't Mokuba.

At that very moment, Mokuba opened the door and the spirit quickly disappeared. He had to get the new guy when he was alone. He could sense that he was the one claiming this mansion. The younger one should live to carry out the mission that the girl hasn't completed and neither have any of the others he let escape.

Mokuba searched for Seto in the darkness of the room. Lightning suddenly came, lighting the room momentarily. Mokuba jumped at the sudden light and noise, but managed to notice that his brother was asleep. He didn't want to bother Seto simply because of the storm, so he got into bed and tried to sleep now that he felt safer being with his brother.

The spirit reappeared in Seto's room a few moments later. It was clear the young one wasn't going anywhere as he had already fallen asleep. Soon the storm began to calm and by morning it was over.

xoxox xox xoxox

When morning came, Seto woke up to find Mokuba using him as a pillow. He figured his little brother must have been frightened by last night's storm and that's why he came. Seto gently got Mokuba off and placed him on the bed without waking him. He then left the room quietly, took a quick shower and went to get some breakfast ready.

The CEO was almost to the kitchen when he heard the doorbell ring. He didn't know who could possibly be coming here, but he went to answer it anyway. Upon opening the door, he saw a young woman with messy blond hair that was badly cut as if it was done with a knife and looked like it hasn't been brushed for ages. She was wearing white pants and a white shirt with a label he didn't care to read and was covered in mud. "He told me that this place belonged to him and you have to find the owner!" She looked at his eyes and started screaming. "Blue Eyes don't kill me!" Without wasting another second, Seto slammed the door shut and locked it. He didn't know who that creepy girl was and he didn't want to find out.

He once again headed to the kitchen and almost jumped a mile when he saw that the strange girl was there. He looked at the opened window and it all became clear. "Have mercy Blue Eyes! Take away the curse! I tried to do what you said, but they won't let me. They say you don't exist. They say I made you up in my imagination after my husband died, but I saw the look of terror in his face. You killed him!" She suddenly became very angry and threw the nearest object, a cookie jar, at Seto, who quickly jumped out of the way.

"Get out!" He yelled at her, but she didn't seam to understand.

"I'll kill you spirit! I'll kill you ghost! Just like you killed him!"

Seto stepped back. He didn't want to go anywhere near this mud covered freak let alone drag her out. So he quickly devised a plan. He would run, find something to hit her on the head with, then throw it at her from a safe distance, that or just call the police. Deciding upon the second, he ran off grabbing his cell phone, which he had forgotten in the living room the night before and called the local police. The strange girl made a mess of the kitchen but nothing else happened, that was the only room that got damaged.

After that creepy girl was gone, Seto made sure to close all the windows in the entire mansion and get the security system installed as soon as possible. Hopefully, she would not return.

Mokuba came downstairs soon after, saying that he couldn't sleep with all the noise. Seto decided not to explain what really happened so Mokuba wouldn't get scared and hate the mansion even more. Regardless of all that's happened, Seto liked the mansion for some unknown reason, as if it was meant to be his. Mokuba eventually noticed the trashed kitchen but Seto simply said he had a small accident and broke a few things. Even if it sounded illogical, Mokuba never questioned his dear brother so he believed him.

The day passed by uneventfully, until the night came and once again the same storm returned as if there was something controlling the weather around the mansion. Mokuba was beginning to feel uncomfortable, but Seto assured him that the storm would pass and better weather would come soon. That night the electricity went out also and again Mokuba got scared and stayed in his brother's room.

The only difference was that this time Seto got up in the middle of the night to get a glass of water. He wasn't sure why he was suddenly so thirsty, he just knew he was. Mokuba would be okay for a few minutes and he had already secured all the windows and doors, plus some of his employees would be coming in a few days to take care of stuff around the mansion.

When Seto was gone, Mokuba woke up. He couldn't find his brother but tried to tell himself that Seto would be back soon. He felt strange, as if he was being watched. "Big brother?" There was no answer but the sound of the wind, rain and thunder. "Seto, are you there?" Mokuba knew he was alone in the room, yet wished with all his heart and soul that he would receive an answer from his brother. Unable to wait any longer, Mokuba got up and set off to find Seto, yet he felt something push him into the wall, but he didn't hit the wall face first, instead he came out at the other side, as if the wall had opened for him.

xoxox xox xoxox

Seto was heading back to his room when his flashlight's battery mysteriously died. This was silly, there was nothing to be afraid of, yet something made him fear, a strange force. He had to get back to his room immediately, something might be wrong with Mokuba. He didn't know why, but he started running.

The wind howled outside. The raindrops fell light knives against the mansion's walls. Lightning and thunder and more lightning came, lighting the way, creating shadows on the walls. The light was irregular, making the shadows look eerie. He ran; he ran as fast as he could, as if the shadows were chasing him.

The sound of the rain, the sound of the wind, the lightning, the thunder, that was all there was. "Mokuba?" There was no answer. Once again the lightning lit the room. "Mokuba!"

xoxox xox xoxox

Mokuba had been walking along a strange passage for a few minutes, after giving up on trying to go back the way he come he tried to find another way out. He could hear the echo of the storm that reflected off the walls of the small passage, making it sound ghostly and threatening. It was very dark and he didn't know where he was going.

He kept walking along the passage, following his hand on the wall, until he came to a small room. He wasn't sure in what part of the mansion he was, he hasn't explored it all and doing so was certainly better during the day light in the company of his brother, not alone in the darkness of a stormy night.

There were many old things stashed away in this room. The ones who where supposed to prepare the mansion for them must have not come here. The lightning, that became more constant, lit the room enough for Mokuba to see several objects covered in dust. He looked up at the source of the light and realized the ceiling in this section was made of glass. There didn't seem to be any doors or windows here just the passage.

Mokuba observed every object there slowly. There was a glass cup in a small table. A woman's shoes on the floor next to it. A necklace lay on the chair, There were dresses and women's clothing. A large base, a few books, one of them opened. Papers with faded words scattered on the floor. A painting, a very familiar painting. Mokuba came closer to the painting looking at it with attention every time the lighting lit the room. It was his brother, but he was younger. He was standing there next to a man he didn't know. Mokuba didn't know how this painting got there, but he knew the one in it was Seto, or was he?

xoxox xox xoxox

"Mokuba!" Seto called out almost to the point of panic. He had a strange feeling about this place, this storm and this night. He hated to admit it, but it felt like fear, unreasonable fear. Maybe his little brother got lost in the darkness on his way back from the bathroom or something.

That was no reason to feel such intense fear; he would find Mokuba and lead him back to his room safe and sound. Then they would both go to sleep and the next morning when they wake up, the electricity would be back, the sun would be shining, the storm would be long gone and he would laugh at himself for feeling so afraid for no reason.

"Mokuba!" He yelled again quickening his pace as he searched for his brother. "Answer me!" Seto stopped and stared into the darkness, nothing there. He felt his heartbeats getting faster and his breaths uneven. The light from the skies that came with every lightning stopped coming. There was no light at all. He blinked several times, trying to make his vision adjust to the darkness. All he saw was strange shadows dancing on the walls, as if trying to lure him closer and attack.

The shadows were surrounding him and he felt unable to move. He could not explain the strange sensation that came over him suddenly and he certainly didn't like it. The shadows seamed to circle him, to trap him. He closed his eyes and tried to calm down before continuing his search. There's nothing to be afraid of. He's never been afraid of the dark before, not even when he was little, but it was not the darkness that scared him, it was the presence he felt was hiding in it. He felt a cold breeze, but he knew all the windows were closed. The cold became more persistent; he warped his arms around himself and shivered.

Slowly, Seto lifted his head and opened his eyes, quickly closing them again and opening them once more. The thing he saw when he first opened them was gone, probably his own imagination anyway. The storm slowly settled to regular rain. The wind became calm and instead of feeling cold, Seto began to sweat. He breathed heavily, letting himself slowly fall until he was sitting on the floor. The lights suddenly came on, making him jump to his feet. Even if the electricity had returned, he had not left the light switch on so why did this happen?

xoxox xox xoxox

Mokuba searched the walls for any kind of secret passage now that the lights were on. He moved a large painting that was sitting against the wall behind a bunch of random items and found a tunnel. He didn't know why, but once the storm was over, he wasn't quite as afraid as before.

The strange presence that he felt in the mansion that scared him before now felt safe, as if someone was guarding and protecting him. The young Kaiba soon managed to get to the end of the tunnel, pushing a thick paper like layer of wall until it was out of the way. He wondered how no one noticed that hole on the wall covered only by thick paper like material with paint on top.

By now Seto had calmed down and was looking for his brother again, this time somehow knowing he was alright. He spotted Mokuba at the end of the hall after turning a corner. "Mokuba!"

"Big Brother!" Mokuba ran to Seto's arms and his brother picked him up.

"Where were you?" Seto asked.

"I'm not sure how, but I ended up in a secret passage and got lost, it was scary!"

Seto hugged his little brother, "It's okay now."

Mokuba took a deep breath, "Seto, I saw a picture of you... It was a painting in a room with a bunch of other stuff."

"Are you sure it was a picture of me?" Seto thought it could have been someone else, someone that used to live here long ago and that just looked like him.

"Come see it!" Mokuba lead Seto the same way he came before. They reached the hole in the wall and Mokuba crawled in.

"Where are you going?"

"It's this way!" Mokuba called from inside the tunnel.

Seto tried to go in, but the tunnel was too small. "I can't get in, come back."

Mokuba returned, "the painting is kind of big so I'm sure it won't fit in the tunnel. Maybe we can figure out where the passage in your room is and how to keep it open.

Seto couldn't deny he felt a strange curiosity about the supposed painting of him. "We'll go look in the morning, let's go back to sleep now."

xoxox xox xoxox

That night Seto Kaiba had a strange dream. He was only watching in this dream and could not affect the people in it in any way. "Get out boy!" A man yelled as he pushed a young boy out a large door. He recognized this place, it was the main entrance of the mansion he was in, but it looked different, as if this scene had taken place many years ago, long before he was born.

"But uncle, there's a storm outside!" The boy complained. For some reason, Seto always saw the dream from a perspective in which he couldn't look at the boy's face.

"Never call me that, you little useless brat!" The man kicked the boy. "You shall address me as sir." Seto felt sorry for the boy and had an urge kick the man.

The boy sniffled, holding back tears as he sat on the ground. "This is my house. This is papa's house."

Suddenly, things changed in the dream and Seto went from just watching to being one of the characters. The rain falling on him felt so real, as did the cold wind. "I want to go but I can't until I keep my promise, otherwise I can't rest in peace." The boy looking right at Seto, unaffected by the fact that he just appeared there. He stood up and walked toward him. "Let me tell you how it happened," the boy extended his hand.

As if he had no control over his actions, Seto took it. In a bright light both Seto and the boy disappeared. As the light came, Seto could see the boy's face clearly, he looked like him.

"This is my mother," the dream's scene changed and they found themselves in a city from many years ago, where there was a lady at a market. She had golden hair and blue eyes, just like Seto's. "That is my father," the boy pointed at two men walking down the street specifically at the younger one. The other one was about two years older. The boy's father also looked a bit like Seto, his hair was brown as were his eyes. The man beside him had brown eyes also but his hair was black. "That..." The boy spoke with anger, "is my father's brother."

The entire scene froze and no one in the dream moved. Only Seto and the boy could move. Seto listened.

"Papa and... the other man both like her, in fact, they all like her. They say she's beautiful, smart and nice, she is. They say that the most beautiful thing Mama has are her eyes." The scene slowly faded away, being replaced by that of a wedding. "She married the one who would become my father and his brother never approved of it."

The scene changed again this time to show several people in a room that looked like an office from many years ago. "My grandparents owned some lands that they wrote in their will they must be shared by their two sons, but he wanted them all." The boy was clearly referring to his uncle.

"He couldn't legally keep them all, so he gave my father a small portion and kept the best lands for himself. The lands my father got were not fertile, it was impossible to grow anything there. My father suspected there was something about the soil, so he dug deep until he discovered the cause of the land's infertility, oil."

The scene changed once more, to the place where the mansion was but it was still being built. "My parents became rich and built this mansion here. I was not born until later. My mother died when she gave birth to me, my father used to tell me about her all the time and even if I had not met her, I missed her and now more so since I've gained the ability to looking into the past and future of my family."

All this time Seto quietly listened to the boy's narration.

"One day, my father mysteriously died. I suspected and now know that it was him, his brother wanted the fortune. I was still young and he was the first option to take care of me. He was always mean. He accused me of taking away my mother's life for myself." Tears came from the boy's eyes. "If I could stop existing to make her live I would. The night after the wedding, the night when I was born, the night when my parents moved here and the night when he was told of what my father found in the land, it was raining hard, there was wind lightning and thunder, it was also like that the night my father was killed. He got angry at those memories when the weather was like that and threw me out. One day, I didn't come back."

The boy changed, he grew up until he looked around Seto's age. Seto couldn't help it but to stare, they could be twins. "I lived my life as well as I could." Many scenes appeared, changing every second, showing a summary of his life. He grew older with each scene, changing until it all stopped when he was an adult. "It came to a point when my family was not doing so well." The scene turned into and old house. There was the older Seto look alike, a woman and a little girl, by the looks of it their daughter.

The spirit that had been showing Seto all of this left, but Seto was not paying attention to him, but at the other version of the spirit, the man in the illusion. The parents took the little girl upstairs and Seto followed.

The dream Seto who was invisible to the other people in the dream, he followed the family upstairs where the put the girl in her bed. After they left, the girl opened her eyes and looked at Seto and he realized he was once again a character of the dream.

"Papa?" She asked unsure. He looked like her father, but he was younger and dressed differently. Who ever he was, the girl's fever and headache didn't allow her to think too much of it. "Papa my head hurts, please make it stop." Tears started running down her face.

To watch such a young sweet child in pain was just wrong. Before Seto could say anything, the scene changed once again and he found himself in his room, awake. He got out of bed, yet his body remained there, as if his spirit was detached.

"This way," a ghostly shadow with glowing blue eyes spoke. They were those same hypnotic eyes that could cause enough fear to kill, but now he felt no fear. Seto followed the spirit, the wall opened as he pushed it. "It doesn't open the other way, so don't try this when you return to your vessel, the only other way out is too small." Seto and the ghost went inside the tunnel that led to the room Mokuba had found. There Seto saw the painting. It was the spirit while he was still a boy, standing next to his father. "My mother's things were kept in this room," the ghost searched for a specific item.

The spirit took a base from under other random things and placed it on the small table. "My mother grew a special kind of flower that cured illnesses, much like that of my daughter. The last one was kept in this room; I used to come here when I was younger. The entrance used to be normal sized, but it was sealed because my uncle didn't want to look at any of these items. I needed the flower to cure her so I returned to recover it and recover my mansion and fortune to give my family a better life. I couldn't let that murderer keep it any longer."

"When I came, he stayed out of my way. I was no longer a little kid he could pick on. I would give him what he deserved soon enough, but first I needed to take that flower back. He snuck up on me and killed me. Angered by all that happened, with my last seconds of life I vowed to take revenge, to curse his family and return this place to mine. The fortune is long gone, but the mansion still remains."

"I somehow turned into a ghost and was able to bring the flower back to my wife. After that was accomplished, I was returned here where I was trapped. As a ghost, I was limited to being in this mansion until I finished my last unfinished business. I didn't know if my daughter survived, but now I'm sure she did, because she was your great grandmother."

Seto was surprised by the entire story. He felt like the spirit was telling the truth. "Two holes are dug with a curse; I dug myself into being trapped here, guarding the mansion until my descendant reclaimed it. Now that this mansion has been returned to whom it rightfully belongs, I have no more unfinished business and I can finally rest in peace." The ghost disappeared in a flash of blue light and Seto's spirit was returned to his vessel.

xoxox xox xoxox

The rose and Seto got up. The dream was still clear in his mind, but even if he felt like it was true, being Seto Kaiba, he ignored it as just another dream and carried on with his life as if it never happened. Juliet mysteriously recovered her health and was able to go on with her life. The Kaiba brothers lived peacefully in the mansion and the ghost was never seen or heard of again.

End of Card 52

Disclaimer, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! 


	20. Card 53

Revised version...

Duel Deck

Card 53: Soul Room

Shadii's Point of View

I, Shadii, have the mission of protecting the millennium items forever. I know where they come from and I must follow where they go for the good of the world. Upon searching for answers, I find that the path of the millennium items may change, so I seek an answer to this question: why? If the millennium rod was once in the hands of Seth, the high priest, why is it that his present incarnation refuses the item?

I hope to find at least a clue in the Soul Room of Seto Kaiba. That is the room I'll be visiting today, as for tomorrow, it all depends on what I find today. Finding Kaiba was no problem. He is working in his office at Kaiba Corp. My millennium key makes me invisible, so I approach without him knowing and appear only when it's too late for him to stop me. I point the millennium key at him and enter his Soul Room. I am surprised to find myself at a hallway with two doors. Seto Kaiba does not have a yami, so why does he have two soul rooms?

I decide to enter the one on the right first. The metal the door is made of is very thick, making the door heavy and hard to open. When I finally manage to open it, I feel like I have entered the future, I've never seen so much technology in one room. I can't even tell what color the walls are because there are computers and other strange machines I do not recognize covering them. The ceiling is like one large screen that displays many computer programming codes that I do not understand.

Unlike in must rooms, in this one there is no bed which means sleeping and resting are unimportant for Kaiba. There is nothing much more than computers here, except for one object in a corner of the room. I approach the desk where a laptop computer is. Next to it there is a locket that's shaped like a duel monsters card. Maybe I will find some clues in it; it is the only thing in this room that appears to be out of place.

I reach for the locket but stop when I hear a strange sound. As I turn around I see a trap door opening up on the floor and from it a robot about 7 feet tall comes out. The machine is mostly metal, except his face that looks human-like. He has short black hair and metallic long elf-like ears. His silver eyes glare at me, "intruder."

"Please, I do not wish to fight, I come in peace." I try to speak to it, but the robot does not listen. He raises his arm and points a laser cannon attached to his arm at me. I move quickly out of the way and the shot he fired hits the locket. Something tells me that locket was an important part of this soul room and now it's destroyed by another part of the soul room itself, there is a certain symbolic meaning to it I believe, but I have no time to analyze it now.

I try to jump into the trap door. This is where his true soul room lies, but when I step closer to it, I feel a thousand bolts of electricity hit me all over my body and fall back near the main door. With no time to waste, I quickly exit the room and close the door. My hands are still touching the metal door when I feel it become hot. I quickly remove my hands, burned by the heated metal and conclude that that robot must have fired a laser at the door.

I think about leaving now, before I mess things up here, it would appear that the balance within his soul room is much more easily upset than I thought. But I'm here to search for answers and so far I've found nothing related to the millennium items at all. Maybe I should try my luck in this other room. The door is also made of metal. Both doors are identical, which is very unusual. As I open the door, I notice that even if from the outside it looks identical, this one is much lighter due to the metal being thinner. Unlike the first door, I open this one without much effort. I prepare myself for a well armed robot to jump on me any second, but soon I realize that it will not happen.

This room is very different from the other one. There is a large computer and next to it a desk with a laptop. Two computers are very few compared to the many I saw in the other room. There is also a bed with plushies on it. One is a Blue Eyes White Dragon, the other looks like Mokuba. The walls are a light blue and unlike the cold metallic floor of the other room, this one has a carpet in a shade of blue a little darker from the walls, but still relatively light.

This room looks like it's a safe place, but it's always the dangerous places that hold the clues. I feel something poking my foot and look down to find a small golden colored robot. It's almost round and only about 10 inches tall. It doesn't look like the one in the other room at all. That one was large, built for battle obviously. His expressionless human-like face made him look more dangerous. This one is clearly all machine; no human-like aspect anywhere. It looks like a harmless toy rather than a machine of destruction.

I bend over to look at it and it seems to be looking at me. The green lights he has for eyes flash a few times as if he where blinking. "I see you met my friend," I hear a voice behind me, followed by the sound of the door, which I had left open in case I needed to run, being closed. The voice is that of a young boy, no older than ten years at the very most. I look at this new guest and find a younger version of Seto Kaiba. The boy looks exactly like him, except of course for the age difference. The little robot runs to the boy. It's a funny little machine.

"This is my robot friend, he's the only one here who plays with me, I build him myself." The boy picks up the golden robot toy. "You're in my room; have you come to challenge me at a game?" The boy doesn't sound angry that I'm here, he sounds like he wants me to challenge him. He looks like he just wants to play for fun, but he will try his best anyway.

"Who are you?" I ask the boy.

"I'm Seto, are we going to play yes or no?" He's getting a little impatient now, but something tells me that this boy knows more than he's showing so I agree.

"Very well I will play a game with you, but you must answer some questions."

The boy laughs. "Only if you win! Let's play chess first! What's your name?" He gets a chess board and a box with chess pieces from a pile of board games in a corner of the room and we both sit on the carpet as he sets the game.

"Shadii," having completed the task of putting each of the chess pieces where it should be, he tells me to go first so I move my piece. I must win this game to find the answers I seek.

xoxox xox xoxox

I lost the chess game, but the boy is willing to give me another chance to win some answers. This time he offers to play Duel Monsters but I do not have a deck so I must pass. He asks to play a videogame instead and again I pass, I was never good at modern day games such as video games and I have to time to waste, there must be some game I can beat him at.

Right now he's searching for a game in the pile of toys. Perhaps I should go investigate in the other room after all and come back here later. I turn around and head for the door, but he runs in front of me and stands in front of the door. "Don't leave!"

I look at the playing cards in his hand. "We can play poker or crazy eights, we could even build card castles!" We sit in the carpet again and play and again he beats me. This is not my day. He seams very happy about having won, though he looked like he knew he would win all the time. I'm starting to think that something in this room is making me lose.

The boy smiles, apparently he thinks he found a new toy, that's what he thinks I am, just another piece of a game, a game he can beat. Tired of this, I tell myself that I must get some answers now and try to do just that. "I've played with you, now please tell me about the other room."

The boy looks at the floor with sadness in his eyes, then he looks up at me and glares. "You didn't win, so I won't tell you!"

I'm growing very tired of this. "I must know!" The boy ignores me and goes to sit on his bed. He hugs the plushies, Blue Eyes White Dragon and Mokuba. I sigh and try to sound calm; obviously I'm not the best at dealing with children. "It's alright," I sit down at the end of the bed. "Please tell me." The young Kaiba holds the plushies closer and shakes his head. He looks like he's holding back tears, what could be in that other room that made him so upset. "Tell me, whatever it is you're worried about, I can help." I try once more to get him to trust me with whatever information he's holding back but it's useless, he just sits there in silence. I sigh again and get up, I'm not going anywhere like this, I might as well try to explore that other room again and hope I don't get captured by any robots. I get up and head for the door.

"Wait! Don't go! I don't want to be alone when he comes!" The boy calls me.

"Who is he?" I inquire.

"He wants to make me disappear," I nod as if telling him to go on. "He hates me, even if I didn't do anything to him. He wants me gone and he will come after me again soon, I can feel it! He stole my other plushie too, he said I already had too many so he took it."

"It's alright, tell who this he is."

The boy looks at me with fear in his eyes, "Seto Kaiba."

This is getting very confusing, even for me. Someone who is supposed to have only one soul room has two. A boy who looks exactly like him but years younger now tells me that Seto Kaiba is who he's afraid of. Isn't this boy also a part of him? How is any of this possible? "Tell me more," I wait for him to continue but he doesn't. "I might be able to help, just tell me, please."

The boy just closes his eyes and hugs the plushies. "The end is near," then the room falls silent.

"I can't help if you don't tell me more," I insist.

He looks at me again. "He stole my locket. He came in here and took it from me," I give him a confused look.

"What locket?" Apparently this item is important to him, but why? "My card shaped locket." Oh no, it must have been that locket I saw, but it was destroyed. Before I can say anything else, the door opens and there stands that robot from before. His silver eyes glow projecting a holographic image. In it I see myself jumping out of the way of the laser, I didn't avoid it fast enough; the laser did hit me and went through me, changed from red to blue and destroyed the locket. Is this what truly happened? I felt no pain so I assumed I had dodged it.

"It was you!" The boy points at me. "You destroyed my locket! I knew Seto couldn't do it alone, it was impossible!" I did not mean to cause this. How could I have known? I failed to enter and leave someone's soul room as I should, without changing anything.

I understand now, the laser used my energy to destroy the locket. I use the power of my Millennium Key to leave the room. I cannot fight this robot but I'm certain that he cannot hurt the boy. I'm starting to understand what's going on, but what I don't know is how this will affect the real Seto Kaiba. They are both a part of him and only he can decide which one stays and which one disappears.

xoxox xox xoxox

My millennium key makes me invisible, so Kaiba is still unaware of my presence. He blinks a few times and looks around the office before resuming his typing. I understand now... From the hall in the middle of the two rooms they both look the same because they are the same. It's actually one room divided into two. Each room represents certain characteristics of the owner of the soul room.

If there was a version of Kaiba in one room, there must be another version of him in the other room also. Both are the same person, two different aspects of him fighting for control. I conclude that the boy's room is who he was in the past, so the other room must be who he will become in the future and the two of them combined are his present self. This situation is very rare and I only saw it once before, long ago in the mind of a man called Kenshin Himura.

His situation was a little different, but in his soul rooms I found a boy who said was called Shinta and a man who was called Battosai. Both of them were part of Kenshin and were constantly fighting for control. I recall that they each had an item that connected them to the vessel. The locket must have been the boy's item and now that it's gone, he cannot contact Kaiba or have any influence in his behavior, only the other can. This is not good. If I don't restore balance, who knows what might happen. Yet I have a feeling that at this point, only Kaiba can restore balance to his own soul room.

End of Shadii's POV

That day everything annoyed Seto, even the smallest detail in anything. Clearly he was in a terrible mood today. The day went by very slowly for Kaiba Corp, everyone was afraid to cross Seto's path. Ending his day of work, Seto turned off his laptop computer after saving his work and put it in his briefcase. He exited his office and got in the elevator, where he literally punched the buttons to go to the first floor. He quickly left, glaring at anything that was in his presence and headed for his limo that, as always, was waiting. He yelled at the driver for no apparent reason and then they headed home.

The change from having the young Seto fighting the other Seto for control to having only the other, had made him cranky beyond belief, though he didn't know why he felt that way. He was completely unaware that anyone had been in his soul room. In fact, he had never been there himself, as those who don't have yamis are always in control of their vessels, so there is no way for him to end up in his soul room under normal circumstances.

xoxox xox xoxox

"Big brother!" Mokuba happily ran to Seto as he entered the mansion. "Welcome home Seto!"

Seto, who wasn't in the mood to deal with even Mokuba, simply pushed him away. "I'm busy kid." He walked into his home office and continued working. Mokuba stood there speechless.

Shadii appeared in front of Seto's desk. He had been watching and it was obvious everything needed to be fixed. "Who are you?" Seto sounded like he wanted to shot Shadii on the spot for coming into his house and bothering him. How did he get in anyway?

"Kaiba, there is something you must fix once and for all, you must make a choice." The millennium key glowed a bright golden light and soon Seto found himself in the hall between his two soul rooms.

"What happened? Where am I?" Seto looked around confused. He felt like he didn't move but his surroundings told him otherwise.

"You are in your soul room," Shadii's voice echoed. "I am sorry I caused an imbalance, but you would have to face this sooner or later anyway. Only you can fix this, I will make sure no one interferes from the outside, now go and explore your own mind. Certain doors will only open up for you," the voice faded away.

Seto never believed in any of this, but somehow he knew it was true. First he entered the younger Seto's room. He found what looked like a young boy's room, but this just wasn't any room. This was his room before he became an orphan. Everything was the same except the games and toys where broken now and there were two plushies on the floor. He recognized the Blue Eyes White Dragon but he didn't have a plushie of Mokuba in the past.

He heard the noise of metal against the floor and turned around to find a large robot at the door. "Come," The robot started to walk away. Seto followed the robot into the other room. A door opened on the floor and a platform came up, "enter."

Seto stood on the platform, it was lowered and he found himself in a place that looked like a futuristic technology arsenal. Computers, robots, cars, helicopters and machines that not even he had any idea what they were, all very high tech and futuristic, were everywhere. He was beginning to like this place, it could be great to play around with all those cool machines, to take them apart and put them back together again. There was so much technology, almost as much as in his dreams.

"Do you like this room?" A voice came from a dark corner of the large room. He looked around for it. There was little light, but it reflected on the silver walls, so the room was quite clear except for that corner. The man who spoke came closer, the darkness moved with him, surrounding him always, as if it was a part of him.

"Who are you?" Seto asked.

"I am your true self, Seto Kaiba. Upon taking a closer look at him, Seto realized that this man looked just like him, but he was older.

"My true self?" Seto was still surprised by the look alike.

"Yes, you are the vessel of both rooms and I am a projection of you." The man had a serious, cold and emotionless expression, yet he could almost see a little bit of sadness in his eyes as well.

"How is this possible?" Seto questioned.

The older Seto looked at him; it was as if he was always glaring. "Not I or that boy, are supposed to exist like this. Your soul is divided and that cannot be. You must choose one and become one with your choice."

This was getting very confusing for Seto. "What do you mean by that?"

The older Seto was clearly trying to keep his temper in check and not to hit the present Seto. He didn't have much patient, but his existence depended on the vessel's choice. "Choose either me or the boy to join with. I think your choice is clear. This was not to happen for a few years, you were not to come here so soon, but thanks to a strange visitor, it was possible to make the process faster." The older Seto began to walk and the present Seto followed him. They left the large room full of technology to enter a smaller, much darker room. "I will leave you now; I think I'll let the boy go first." The older Seto left the room, closing the door.

"You're here!" The young Seto ran to the present Seto, he jumped on him and hugged him, just like Mokuba would. "I get to go first, huh? Good this is all you'll need." A light blue light surrounded Seto and the young Seto. The light only lasted a few seconds, but Seto felt as if he lived his life all over again. He remembered everything so clearly; he remembered who he used to be. "You're always trying to leave me behind. You're trying to replace me with him, but I was there from the beginning. Only the locket, which represents your little brother, kept me connected to you. The locket has been destroyed now, so you can't depend on Mokuba anymore. You need to make a choice to bring who you used to be into the present and future or to replace who you used to be with who you might become and you have to do it for yourself, not only because of Mokuba. You have to want it to happen, not just do it because you feel your should."

The door was opened again and the older Seto returned. "Are you finished? It's my turn now." Darkness surrounded him and the present Seto. This time Seto felt like he was living his possible future, he was seeing who he might become; did he want to be that way? "You'll have power, you'll have technology, you'll have all you've ever wanted. So choose me now Seto, you know I'm the best choice"

Seto looked at both of them for a moment. "No, that isn't everything I want, there's more, I might have forgotten for some time, but I remember now." The older Seto looked surprised and the younger one was happy. "You're not who I want to become, as much as I tried to put my past behind, now I realized it wasn't the past I was leaving behind, it was myself."

xoxox xox xoxox

In a flash of bright blue light, Seto was home, again in control of his vessel. "You have chosen well," Shadii spoke before disappearing. Some souls where free spirits, souls that did not always follow the path before them. Those souls could experience conflicts within themselves sometimes, until they found a new path to follow, one that they had chosen on their own free will, not necessarily the destiny initially intended for them. Shadii received his answer after all.

For a few moments, Seto wondered if everything he saw was real. He still hung on to logic and didn't fully believe the stories about spirits and soul rooms, but for now he had more important things to think about. He had many things to fix in Kaiba Corp tomorrow, but right now he had to talk to Mokuba.

xoxox xox xoxox

Now there was only one room in his soul. The young Seto watched all the vessel did from there. He was a part of Seto, a part that he wanted gone but now accepted, a part that he would learn to like about himself, who he used to be, his true self. The boy smiled, it looked like everything worked out between the brothers after all and soon everything in Kaiba Corp would be fixed as well.

"Come my friends; let's go see what cool technology we can play with." The boy told the little toy robot and the plushies. Now he had all his plushies back, all three Blue Eyes White Dragons and Mokuba and all his toys and games were repaired. A passage opened on the floor and the little boy jumped in. He smiled as he looked around his true soul room.

This room was much larger than the other secret room had been and much more futuristic. The boy grinned, his technology was far more advanced and powerful then the other Seto had been. This boy, didn't settle for just good enough, he had more ambition and determination, it wasn't about appearing powerful but about being trully powerful while remaining playful.

"Let's play the take over the world with technology game." If only Shadii knew the true nature of the boy's being, he might have worried more than with the older one. Yet this was indeed the best and happiest choice for Seto, the world would just have to deal with it. Appearances can be deceiving sometimes and sometimes it's the most innocent ones that can create the most chaos. "Life is a game and I'm here to win!"

End of Card 53

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Rurouni Kenshin. The big robot was designed after Wren from Phantasy Star IV: End of the Millennium and the small golden one was designed after Robo from Chrono Trigger. 


End file.
